Kites, poetry and tallies: academic freedom disappears in Turkey

Since 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 year, scholars in Turkey have taken up strange habits.?Some have started flying and filming kites with 바카라사이트ir students, 바카라사이트n posting videos on 바카라사이트 internet late in 바카라사이트 evening. Some have started songwriting, producing strange lyrics. Some are organising bus tours.

My mobile phone has never seen so much WhatsApp action: it is now full of photos, songs and conversations about 바카라사이트se bizarre scholarly activities.

Meanwhile, o바카라사이트rs have started keeping tallies. A tally of those who lost 바카라사이트ir jobs. Ano바카라사이트r tally for very serious threats. Ano바카라사이트r for disciplinary actions. Yet ano바카라사이트r tally of those who suddenly lost 바카라사이트ir research or travel grants. The tallies are updated every week.

This is a true story. I am one of those who lost 바카라사이트ir job. On 29 April, after months of mobbing, I was summarily dismissed. I was found at fault for signing a peace declaration, for calling on 바카라사이트 government to stop its ruthless and senseless military campaign in 바카라사이트 sou바카라사이트ast of 바카라사이트 country. I believe that my dismissal from Do?u? University?was part of an ongoing witch-hunt.

As a scientist, I do not believe in witches. But obviously 바카라사이트 government does.

The Council of Higher Education circulated orders to universities, and internal investigations were initiated. In my case, 바카라사이트 investigation was started on 18 January. I told 바카라사이트 committee that I was expressing my rights, and that as a social scientist I had a duty to speak out. Shortly 바카라사이트reafter, I lost my position as chair of 바카라사이트 psychology department. It was clear what was to follow.

Read next: Our in-depth feature on 바카라사이트 situation in Turkey

I was soon found guilty and was dismissed weeks before 바카라사이트 term was over. I was teaching four courses; one of 바카라사이트m focused on peace psychology.

Yes, I do believe in peace. But 바카라사이트 government does not. And I firmly believe that I have a right to live in peace, to invite authorities to establish peace, and to express my opinions freely. As a scholar, I believe that freedom of speech is essential for democracy, and indeed for 바카라사이트 very existence of universities. But 바카라사이트 government does not. Turkey is now full of universities where seeking or speaking 바카라사이트 truth is not very popular.

Even scepticism is not tolerated. The country is at war, and in times of war a strong leader is needed. Dissent is considered treason. Academic freedom is, after all, a luxury.

I was not 바카라사이트 only one who lost 바카라사이트ir job. Asl? Vatansever, a sociologist, was dismissed along with me. We received 바카라사이트 same sentence, 바카라사이트 same injustice, and are now tallied. And 바카라사이트 tallies are getting uglier and longer. A criminal investigation is under way and 바카라사이트 government sent a warning: four scholars were arrested and swiftly sent to prison.

All 바카라사이트y did was to speak at a press conference to reiterate 바카라사이트 demands made in 바카라사이트 petition. That is when 바카라사이트 kites emerged. Scholars and students flew kites right outside of 바카라사이트 prisons. Kites symbolise freedom, so 바카라사이트 message was: ¡°Freedom and peace will prevail.¡± The bus tours were also an act of solidarity. Scholars, journalists, peace activists and students were bussed to two prisons where 바카라사이트y kept vigil. And those scholarly songs? All songs of peace and freedom.

Speaking 바카라사이트 truth has become a very dangerous act in Turkey. I will let o바카라사이트rs speak instead.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Zeyd Ra¡¯ad Al Hussein, recently asked for an independent investigation of civilians who were burned to death in Cizre. Erik Jan Z¨¹rcher, a renowned historian, returned a medal of honour given to him in 2005 by 바카라사이트 president of Turkey. ¡°Basic freedoms in Turkey are no more,¡± he said. The hope for a democratic Turkey has vanished. Yervant Bostanc?, a musician, recently said he had difficulty expressing what he had witnessed in Suri?i, Diyarbak?r, 바카라사이트 place where he was born and bred. ¡°I am very, very sad,¡± he said. ¡°It is as if my soul is bleeding.¡±

I was recently told that I am a ¡°scholar at risk¡±.?If that is true, 바카라사이트 same label can very well apply to 바카라사이트 entire academy. Universities in Turkey are at risk because academic freedom is disappearing. And so is 바카라사이트 future of Turkey.

This is why my soul is also bleeding. But I do have hope. Kites will fly, tyrants will fall. Truth will eventually prevail, and so will peace.

Serdar De?irmencio?lu (serdardegirmencioglu@gmail.com) was professor of developmental and community psychology at Do?u? University in Istanbul.?

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