Upon a local court decision requested by the Fatih District Security Directorate after an application by the Presidency of Istanbul University to the prosecutor's office, police will be able to carry out searches at the university's buildings in the Fatih region and their surroundings.
According to the decision police will be able to search people's bags, parcels, nylon bags, vehicles and private papers between 1 December 2010-30 November 2011.
Police will also be able to carry out searches at the entrances of the faculty, university and administrative buildings and their surroundings within the borders of the Fatih district. Police will also be able to search inside the buildings if the university presidency places a request.
According to a report by Umay Aktaş Salman from the daily Radikal, notices that read, "Preventive Search Decision" have been placed at the entrances of some faculties of the Istanbul University.
Students appeal the decision
Eren Can, a senior at the Law Faculty has applied to an Istanbul court objecting to the decision:
"The decision violates many things, from autonomy of universities to privacy. According to Penal Law, no decision with a general characteristic can be taken. Only specific decisions can be taken. However, police will be able to carry out a search whenever it wants. This only exists in fascism."
Education and Science Workers' Union: The official face of the regime
Ahmet Bekmen, a senior official from the Education and Science Workers' Union and a university employee, defined the decision as the official face of the regime that is being implemented at the university for a long time now: "Private security officers are acting like police officers anyway. There are security cameras everywhere."
University President Prof. Dr. Yunus Söylet stated that he is aware of the decision but has not yet seen it because he is abroad; "I will make a statement when I return," he said.
Academics: One year long search- warrant is not lawful
Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kaboğlu, a teacher at the Law Faculty of Marmara University: I don't know the dimensions of granting a general search warrant for a year. The reasons behind it need to be convincing. If there are activities at universities that threaten security, then why is the warrant limited to Fatih and the Istanbul University? Does this decision serve the purpose?
Ümit Kocasakal, Head of Istanbul Bar: Scandal. Such a decision is against the essence of search. A search warrant is given when there is an attempt to find something. It has to be a limited decision since it is about people's privacy. No search warrant can be this general, over such a long period of time and about unidentified people. No such decision can be taken in a state of law.
Prof. Dr. Ersan Şen, a teacher of Legal Science at the Public Administration Department of the Political Sciences Faculty of Istanbul Univerity: Police may carry out preventive search at universities according to the Law of Police Powers. There is no specific person in a preventive search. But there is a problem with the time. A period of one year is not reasonable. (BB)
