JINHA

ISTANBUL – Nil Mutluer is one of six academics at Istanbul’s Nişantası University who have been dismissed for signing a statement calling for peace in the country. “This has now become a struggle for peace and freedom of thought,” said Nil.

When 1,128 academics in Turkey signed a statement called “We will not be party to this crime” calling on the Turkish state to end its blockades and attacks on Kurdish cities, an investigation was begun into the academics. At Istanbul’s Nişantaşı University, six academics were dismissed for signing the statement, on the grounds of “actions outside of academic activity that disrupt the image of our university.”

Among them was Associate Professor Nil Mutluer, chair of the sociology department at Nişantaşı. At the time that the investigation had begun, the then-rector of the university did not plan to take any disciplinary action beyond a limited investigation. However, when the rector resigned recently, the academics were fired on the authority of the chair of the university’s board of trustees. Nil said that the academics are currently pursuing legal action.

“This has now become a struggle for peace and freedom of thought,” said Nil. “Of course we will continue on this road. We want peace.”

She said the academics plan to continue their actions for peace and solidarity.

(ce/ck/fk/cm)