Letter from prison censored because of ‘agenda-setting about students' scholarships'

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Nuriye Gülmen, a discharged academic, wanted to send letters from prison, but they were found "objectionable" by the prison administration.

In one of her letters, Gülmen talked about the scholarships of students. She was banned from sending this letter on the grounds that "she was trying to set the agenda" by bringing it up as a current issue.

In her other banned letter, Nuriye Gülmen was extending her good wishes to Mısra Öz, who lost her son Oğuz Arda Sel in the Çorlu train derailment in Tekirdağ province on July 8, 2018, due to the lawsuits filed against her.

This letter was also found "objectionable" on the grounds of "agenda-setting by marking people and institutions as targets."

'I want to talk about scholarships'

The Written Notification of the Silivri Penal Institution Disciplinary Board regarding the ban on the letters dated October 1, 2021 were notified to Nuriye Gülmen four days later, on October 5, 2021.

In the notification, it was said that "the part of the letter that started with 'They say students' scholarships are now as high as 650 lira; I want to talk about this' and ended with the remarks '... [they] have to make a choice between ... and [scholarships] being cut.' have been found objectionable on the grounds of agenda-setting by targeting people and institutions."

Discharged from public service by a Statutory Decree following the coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016, Nuriye Gülmen, who is still arrested, will appear before the judge tomorrow (October 21).

Taken into custody at İdil Cultural Center, where the Grup Yorum music band was making preparations for its concerts, together with 6 others on August 5, 2020, Gülmen was arrested on August 11.

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(AS/SD)