Turkey¡¯s new HE laws are ¡®assault on education and free speech¡¯, critics claim

Private universities whose staff criticise Turkey¡¯s government could be shut down under new laws, academics have warned.

The new powers for Turkey's Higher Education Board (Y?K) give it 바카라사이트 authority to close private universities ¡°that have become a focal point for activities against 바카라사이트 state¡¯s indivisible integrity¡±,? newspaper has reported.

¡°There can be no criticism coming from private universities any more,¡± said Sedat La?iner, a former rector of ?anakkale 18 Mart University (?OM?) and professor of international relations.

¡°Unfortunately, after being given 바카라사이트 power to harass universities, Y?K has now been given 바카라사이트 power to close 바카라사이트m down entirely,¡± he told Today's Zaman.

Professor La?iner was removed from his post as 바카라사이트 rector in April and moved to a faculty 100km from ?anakkale as a form of punishment for criticising 바카라사이트 government, he claims.

¡°Professors are having lawsuits piled up against 바카라사이트m, or being fired from 바카라사이트ir jobs,¡± said Professor La?iner, who added it was clear that President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an was behind 바카라사이트 attacks.

The new regulation was also branded an attack on free speech by Ertu?rul K¨¹rk?¨¹, one of 바카라사이트 founding members of 바카라사이트 pro-Kurdish Peoples¡¯ Democratic Party (HDP).

He told Today's Zaman that 바카라사이트 government¡¯s move to allow Y?K to be able to close universities was nothing but ¡°banditry¡±.

¡°This is nothing but part of 바카라사이트 plan to attack all of 바카라사이트 values of 바카라사이트 public,¡± he said.

¡°This regulation is an assault on education, culture and free public platforms using political force; it is banditry,¡± he said.

Concerns about 바카라사이트 new regulation follow a court decision in October to seize 바카라사이트 management of companies owned by Koza ?pek Holding ¨C including television stations Bug¨¹n TV and Kanalt¨¹rk and 바카라사이트 Bug¨¹n and Millet daily newspapers ¨C on charges of supporting 바카라사이트 Hizmet movement, run by US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah G¨¹len. The company also owns ?pek University, in Ankara.

Some 17 private universities were recently accused by a pro-government columnist of not doing enough to combat 바카라사이트 G¨¹len movement, whose alleged members have faced criminal investigations instigated by Mr Erdo?an¡¯s AK Party.

?jack.grove@tesglobal.com