Werknemers van de UvA hebben in een open brief stelling genomen tegen het Turkse regime en roepen op tot solidariteit met de academici in Turkije.
Statement of solidarity with academics in Turkey
“We, academics from the University of Amsterdam, are deeply concerned about the continued attacks on academic freedom and on critical academics in Turkey which the Turkish government has escalated in recent days.
With the latest decree from February 7, issued under the state of emergency, another 330 academics were fired from their universities under the pretense that they support terrorism. This latest attack on Turkish academia has primarily hit Ankara University – one of the leading universities in social sciences and humanities in Turkey – and signatories of the “Academics for Peace” declaration: Out of the 330 who lost their job, exactly half (115) were signatories of the declaration calling for a stop to the government’s security operations in south-eastern Turkey, which have a disastrous impact on the Kurdish civilian population.
On February 10, the police used excessive force against students and faculty protesting the most recent decision of the government, using tear gas at close range, beating peaceful protesters and arresting several academics.
With its actions the government claims to fight terrorism, but unmistakably the measures deployed are calculated to outlaw dissent – specifically from the intelligentsia and among academics. Many of those who were fired are recognized as leading academics in their fields and no evidence has been provided for the claim that they have been supporting terrorism. Whether those affected will be able to appeal the decision that ended their career is entirely unclear. In addition, the passports of the dismissed academics and of their family members have been cancelled, imposing a de facto travel ban on them.
In light of these alarming developments, we urge our colleagues in the international academic community
- to stand in solidarity with their colleagues who have been dismissed and are under attack from their government and the police,
- to continue to express this solidarity publicly, and to persist in defending academic freedom whenever and wherever it comes under attack,
- to support those political and civil society organizations in Turkey which protest the government’s increasingly oppressive policies,
- to provide institutional support for dismissed and threatened Turkish academics through visiting scholarships, emergency programs, and other means,
- to urge our national governments and international organizations to fearlessly hold the Turkish government accountable for its persistent violations of human and civil rights, academic freedom and the rule of law.
Signatories
Dr. Robin Celikates, Philosophy/ASCA
Özgür Yalçın, Philosophy/ASCA
Dr. Aylin Kuryel, Literary Studies/ASCA
Peyman Amiri, Philosophy/ASCA
Prof. Dr. Joseph Früchtl, Philosophy/ASCA
Prof. Dr. Joep Leerssen, Modern European Literature
Nur Özgenalp, Media Studies/ASCA
Prof. Dr. Yolande Jansen, Philosophy/ASCA
Dr. Else Vogel, AISSR
Pieter Pekelharing, Philosophy/ASCA
Dr. Thomas Poell, Media Studies/ASCA
Dr. Jitske Jasperse, Institute of History CSIC Madrid
Dr. Jan Lazardzig, Theater Studies/ASH
Dr. Robert Knegt, Faculty of Law
— In order to sign please use the following form.
— the statement with an updated list of signatories is here.”
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