As participants in the Prague conference “Philosophy & Social Science” who consider themselves part of the tradition of critical theory we express our deep concern about our colleagues in Turkey who have been dismissed by executive decrees without due process and legal recourse. We extend our solidarity to all persecuted academics and specifically to Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça who are on an indefinite hunger strike in protest of the injustice they have experienced.

O dersliklerde öğrencilerimle birlikte genç kalmak istedim. Mütemadiyen kendi sınırlarımı aşma, öğrenme zorunluluğu ve üniversitede bir kürsü sana yer açmışsa, oraya karşı entelektüel bir çaba gösterme borcunu hissettim. Hayattan koparılan Mehmet Fatih Traş’ın da, ihraç edilen diğer pek çok arkadaşımın da böyle olduğunu biliyorum.

https://www.youcaring.com/academicsforpeaceinturkey-763983

Like its fragile democracy, academic freedom has never been consolidated in Turkey. The budding vibrancy of university campuses in the 1960s gave way to growing political violence and radicalism during the 1970s. Hundreds of left-leaning academics were purged after the military coup of September 1980. Thousands more resigned, withdrew from public life or left the country under conditions of military dictatorship. The institutional legacy of that coup and the damage it inflicted on the country’s intellectual life have been far-reaching and enduring.