İSTANBUL - Boğaziçi University graduates applied to the Council of State to intervene in the lawsuit filed by 70 academics for the dismissal of Melih Bulu.

 

Protests against Melih Bulu, who was appointed as the trustee rector to the Boğaziçi University with the decision of the AKP President Tayyip Erdoğan, continue on its 96th day. Boğaziçi University Alumni submitted the petitions of 70 academics working at the university to intervene in the lawsuit filed for the dismissal of Melih Bulu on March 1 to the Council of State. Boğaziçi Alumni published a statement on social media after they submitted their petitions.

 

'IT DAMAGES ACADEMIC FREEDOM' 

 

The statement underlined that Bulu's appointment at the university as a rector violates the constitution and is unlawful. The statement reads: "This practice harms the university's democratic governance practices, institutional autonomy, academic freedom and universal and critical knowledge production."In our social responsibility, we accept our duty to be involved in the legal process for considering the public interest in a free and democratic society and universities. The appointments of rectors is a part of the authoritarianism, the increasing political pressure in Turkey and the prevention of social peace and diversity, and therefore it is damaging the academiz freedom."

 

WE DO NOT ACCEPT

 

Underlining that they will continue to fight together with academicians, students and student families until they get results, the graduates said, “We do not accept, we do not give up! Bosphorus will not be silent ” and listed their demands as follows: 

 

" * Determining the rectors in all universities through pluralist, participatory negotiation processes, in this context, the resignation of Melih Bulu,

 

* Determination of academic staff and university administrators on the basis of institutional autonomy and internal democracy,

 

* Cancellation of the two faculty opened overnight disregarding the academic committees and senate of Boğaziçi University, 

 

* Ending the targeting of the academicians and the students, the arrests and the police violence and the police presence inside the campus, 

 

* Not obstructing any student community activities, including BÜLGBTİ + club, not touching the Sexual Harassment Prevention Commission CİTÖK,

 

* Immediate and unconditional removal of barriers for us graduates, which are a component of Boğaziçi University, to enter university campuses,

 

* Everybody should be treated fairly and equally without discrimination due to religion, language, race, sect, ethnic origin, opinion, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, all kinds of disabilities and other reasons!