Students Detained in Boğaziçi University Campus Released

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Detained by police entering campus, seven Boğaziçi University students have been released.

Five other students who were detained in home and dormitory raids on March 22 are still held in detention. There is sealing order on the file and they are not allowed to meet their lawyers for 24 hours.

What happened?

On March 19 (Monday) a group of students opened a stand giving out Turkish delight in North Campus following 46 soldiers losing their lives in Afrin. A group of antiwar students protested them by opening a banner reading “Invasion, massacre cannot be marked with Turkish delight*”. A quarrel sparked between the two groups and the stand was reportedly attacked.

Justice and Development Party (AKP) Youth Branch in police control protested the attack on the stand on March 20. In the statement for the press issued, the students were described as “terrorists”.

Statements by university presidency and Higher Education Board

In its statement, Boğaziçi University Presidency has said, “We find the attack carried out on the stand unacceptable like any patriot”.

“Security forces intervened in the aforementioned demonstrations that were held without approval of our university administration. Necessary investigations and disciplinary procedures have been launched into this hostile demonstration”.

In its statement, the Higher Education Board (YÖK) has said, “In order to avoid such incidents causing public indignation, necessary precautions to be taken including amendment in regulations will be concluded by negotiating. This process has been commenced”.

Police entered campus

Five antiwar students were detained by police during home and dormitory raids on March 22.

In protest of the detentions, students released a statement on social media calling for a rally in the North Campus. The statement read:

“Detention of the students who weren’t even in the campus at the time of the incident is a proof that the attack has been turned into a witch hunt by the government to oppress the opposition in the university”.

Prior to the rally time, Anti-Terror teams entering the campus detained seven students by dragging them on the floor. Taken to Gayrettepe Security Directorate and detained there, the students were released last night. (EÜ/BK/TK)

* Turkish delight is distributed to honour the soul of someone, who has recently passed.