Turkish students face justice for protesting the appointment of a pro-Erdogan rector
The trial of 14 students opened this Friday, January 7, 2022 before a court in Istanbul, Turkey.
AFP - OZAN KOSE
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
These students had participated in the demonstrations against the appointment of a rector close to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as head of the Bosphorus University, a renowned public institution, almost a year ago to the day.
While the Turkish head of state had qualified the young protesters as "terrorists", the last two imprisoned students were released at the end of the hearing this Friday, January 7, 2022.
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From our correspondent in Istanbul
,
Anne Andlauer
When it is not on campus, it is in front of the courthouse that students from the University of the Bosphorus - or Boğaziçi - denounce the takeover of their establishment by the political power.
For a year, they have been demanding the departure of the rector appointed by President Erdogan and the election of a replacement by the teaching staff.
Melike, second year student: “
It's not just Boğaziçi, all universities are now under political supervision.
As long as we do not have free and autonomous universities, we will struggle.
"
► See also: Turkey: Erdogan responds to the protest by accusing the students of being "terrorists"
Since the start of the protest, hundreds of students have been taken into custody and a dozen teachers who support them have been sacked. Among them, Feyzi Erçin, who taught cinema: “
In establishments, freedom is no more than a memory, self-censorship has become widespread. We are facing a system that attempts to criminalize all forms of peaceful demonstration.
"
Even if the demonstration brings together at most a hundred people, Mert, a student of psychology, is increasingly optimistic: “I can
feel resistance building across the country.
This does not necessarily manifest itself in the form of a large protest movement or demonstrations in the street, but the voices of opposition are more and more numerous.
The power is weakened and I think that an alternation is possible in the next elections.
"
Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his party will face the polls again in June 2023 at the latest.
► See also
:
Turkey: students reject Erdogan's words, demonstrations are on the increase
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Turkey
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Recep Tayyip Erdogan
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