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 at the University of Amsterdam and 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, MEL
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, History
Dr. Jan Lazardzig, Theater Studies/ASH Dr. Robert Knegt, Faculty of Law
Eva Meijer, Philosophy/ASCA Dr. Eloe Kingma, ASCA
Prof. dr. em. Frank Veltman, Logic, ILLC Dr. Annika Rulkens, Art History
Prof. Em. Veit Bader, Philosophy & Sociology Dr. Eef Masson, Media Studies/ASCA
Bernardo Caycedo, Philosophy/ASCA Hao Wang Philosophy/ASCA
Prof. dr. Frans Jacobs, Philosophy Dr. Jaap Maat, Philosophy
Dr. Paul Dekker, Philosophy/ILLC Prof. Dr. Robert van Rooij, ILLC
Dr. Gijs van Donselaar, Philosophy Dr. Hanne De Jaegher, Philosophy
Prof. Dr. René Boomkens, Cultural Studies Laura Boerhout, AHM
Prof. Dr. Eric Schliesser, Political Science/AISSR Dr. Toni Pape, Media Studies
Latara Schellen, Cultural Analysis Natasha Basu, Philosophy/ASCA
Selçuk Balamir, ASCA Dr. Natalie Scholz, History/ASH
Dr. K.V.Q. Vintges, Philosophy
Dr. Joost de Bloois, Literary and Cultural Analysis
Prof. Dr. Beate Roessler, Philosophy Jan Overwijk, ASCA
Dr. Aukje van Rooden Philosophy/ASCA Dr. Albert van der Schoot, Philosophy
Dr. Sybrandt van Keulen, Philosophy A. de Jong, Neerlandistiek
Dr Enzo Rossi, Political Science, AISSR Dr. Rachel Spronk, AISSR
Dr. Erella Grassiani, Anthropology Janus Oomen, AISSR
Annerienke Fioole, Anthropology/AISSR
Dr. Federica Russo, Philosophy Prof. Dr. Joop de Jong, AISSR
Laura Vermeulen, Anthropology Dr. Esther Miedema, GPIO
Alexander Thinius, Philosophy/ASCA Peyman Jafari, PPLE
Dr. Esther Peeren, ASCA Prof. Dr. Jeroen de Kloet, Media Studies
Simon Ferdinand, ASCA Dr. Justus Uitermark, Sociology
Dr. Patrick Brown, Sociology Robert Davidson, AISSR
Dr. Olav Velthuis, Sociology Marina Tulin, Sociology
Dr. Gözde Onaran, Media Studies/ASCA A. Dekker, Media Studies
Dr. Jaap Kooijman, ASCA Matilda Hemming, Cultural Analysis/ASCA
Rossitsa Borkowski, Philosophy/ASCA Prof. Dr. Giovanna Fossati, ASCA
Dr. Jan Teurlings, Media Studies Dr. Ben Moore, English
Dr. Fabiola Camuti, Theatre Studies/ASCA Jakko Kemper, ASCA
Nadia de Vries, ASCA Prof. Dr. Hugo van der Velden, History of Art
Dr. Huub van Baar, Political Science Lieve de Coninck, Anthropology
Dr. Sruti Bala, Theatre Studies Paweł Banaś, Anthropology/AISSR
Niels ten Oever, Media Studies Michel Ottens, Media Studies
Asli Ozgen-Tuncer, ASCA Charlotte Albers, Political Sociology
Dr. Marjan Nijborg, ASCA Dr. Jan Rock, Dutch Studies/ASH
Dr. James Gledhill, Philosophy/ASCA Dr. Erik Laeven, Media Studies
Dr. Raheel Dhattiwala, Sociology Sabrina Stallone, ASCA
Prof. Dr. Jan Rath, Sociology Dr. Stefan Niklas, Philosophy/ASCA
Prof. Dr. Ieme van der Poel, ASCA Prof. Dr. Ellen Rutten, Literature
Florian Göttke, ASCA Dr. Mutsumi Karasaki, Political Sociology
Dr. Jules Sturm, Literary and Cultural Analysis Sarah Bracke, Political Sociology
Dr. M.C. Wilkinson, Media and Culture
Dick Zijp, Theatre Studies Vesna Vravnik, ASCA
Angela Grooten, Philosophy Dr. Leone de Voogd, Psychology
Marta Olesik, ASCA Eveline Citron-Schlatmann, Slavic Languages
Prof. Dr. Kati Röttger, Theatre Studies Bram Overbeeke, Media Studies
Eric Metz, Slavic Languages and Cultures Dr. Carolyn Birdsall, Media Studies/ASCA
Dr. Johannes van der Tak, Slavic Languages Dr. Trijsje Franssen, Philosophy
Matt Cornell, ASCA Dr. Rineke van Daalen, Sociology
Dr. Ihab Saloul, Cultural Studies Nine Yamamoto-Masson, ASCA
Dan Leberg, Media Studies Aldo Roma, ASCA
Dr. Niall Martin, Literary and Cultural Analysis/ASCA Dr. Boris Noordenbos, ASCA
Dr. Timothy Yaczo,Literary and Cultural Analysis Dr. Stephan Besser, ASCA
Matthijs Jonker, Philosophy and Cultural Sciences Marloes Geboers, Media Studies/ASCA
