Reaction from Dismissed Academics

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In the wake of the July 15 attempted coup, 2,346 people have been dismissed through statutory decree on the grounds that they had links to the Fethullah Gülen community.

Biçer: This has nothing to do with the coup

President of the Association of Forensic Science Experts Prof. Dr. Ümit Biçer, who has been dismissed from Kocaeli University, said: “In Kocaeli University, 19 signatories of the signatures for peace campaign have been dismissed".

"The removal of those who demand peace and democracy and advocate for the labor force is particularly unacceptable The government must say something on this issue. These measures have nothing to do with the attempted coup.

"In relation to that we will continue our legal fight to the very end. This decision will undoubtedly be repealed because it is not consistent with legal norms. It is a decision that does not conform to the university’s values".

Badem: A verdict but no evidence

Associate Professor Dr. Candan Badem, a faculty member at the History Department of Tunceli University’s Literature Faculty, was also dismissed in the decree issued today.

Badem, who was previously dismissed amid attempts to implicate him in the Fethullah Gülen movement, had been taken into custody on August 3.

“I’m an Atheist and a Marxist. I’m curious as to how they will infer that I’m a supporter of Gülen,” Dr. Badem said, reacting to the operation. He was released by the court to which he had been referred for arrest.

Dr. Badem was relieved of his duties and banned from public service through the decree issued within the scope of the state of emergency.

On his Twitter account, Dr. Badem wrote: “Good morning. They have dismissed me with today’s statutory decree. There is a verdict, but no evidence whatsoever. Islamic Fascism.” (NV/AS/HY/PS)