Associate Professor İsmet Akça, an Academic for Peace who was dismissed from his position at Yıldız Technical University through a decree-law issued on February 7, 2017, due to signing the "We Will Not Be a Party to This Crime" petition, had his request to return to the university rejected.
More than a year after the negative decision of Ankara 25th Administrative Court, the 13th Division of Ankara Regional Administrative Court also ruled against Akça, drawing attention to the arbitrary nature of the decisions in the cases of Peace Academics. Akça stated:
"We are among the 406 people dismissed from public service for signing the peace declaration. Different criteria were considered in our trial processes, and consequently, different decisions were made. Some universities included us in the decrees, while others did not. Later, some of us faced criminal charges. The only 'evidence' used in criminal cases was the signed text.
"Our cases were divided into different criminal divisions, and different decisions were made about us. For example, my file was in the 27th Heavy Penal Court. Our cases were first heard collectively, then divided in half. The court did not grant leniency to half of us, and our sentences exceeded two years. Thus, we could not receive the Deferral of the Announcement of the Judgment (HAGB) decision.
“We were kept waiting for years”
"In our process of returning to university, an unlawful mechanism called the State of Emergency Commission was established. We were kept waiting for years, and the OHAL Commission started to give 'smooth' rejection decisions about one and a half years ago. Upon this, we applied to the Administrative Courts, and our files were divided again, this time to the Administrative Courts in Ankara. It depends on your luck, whichever court you end up with!
"For example, my department, in November 2022, quickly rejected all the files it had. In February 2023, I appealed to the Court of Appeals, and the same process was followed here. Our files were distributed to the 13th, 14th, and 15th divisions, we waited for over a year again, and now the 13th Division, without looking at anything, says, 'This text is sufficient for you to be affiliated, I reject the request for reinstatement.'
"Legal festival"
"Our friends who received the decision to return were dismissed for the second time by the Court of Appeals. But the 14th Court of Appeals does not operate the process like this. One gives a positive decision, the other gives a negative one. You understand, we are experiencing a real legal festival. While there is a decision from the Constitutional Court, they do this. The Constitutional Court has ruled that this text is within the framework of freedom of thought and expression. But you know, in Turkey, since there is no longer any law, attempts are made to pull rabbits out of the hat from within the judiciary.
"Because those who signed the text are considered 'affiliated' [with illegal groups] in the eyes of the courts, they establish a chain of disloyalty and explain it as follows: If you are in public service, you have a responsibility for loyalty to the Constitution and the state. You can be dismissed from public duty for violating this. Of course, they can also say, 'This decision does not bind us,' using the same provision for the Constitutional Court decision. It's a completely arbitrary process, progressing entirely according to the behavior of the relevant court.
"However, our struggle against this injustice and unlawfulness will continue, and of course, one day, we will return to our schools."
About İsmet Akça
Academic.
He started his duty in 1998 and contributed to many studies and research in the field of political science.
He was dismissed from his position at Yıldız Technical University through a decree-law published on February 7, 2017. In the seven years since then, he has worked in various positions. (TY/VK)
