Snipers against Sharp Minds in Turkey

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Turkey has detained 159 people in Feb.1 during protests at Istanbul Bogazici University. The protests erupted following over the appointment of new rector to the university. Opposition parties leader call the new rector to resign. Moreover, the dozens of faculty members at the university led to a walkout in support of detained protesters.

The protest is not just to new rector but what new rector represents; broader perceptions of presidential overreach by Erdogan. Bogazici university is one of the top 5 university in Istanbul, Turkey. It attracts the best minds in Turkey for higher education. For youngsters, it means finding better jobs with better incentives following graduation. Most are being hunted by best companies during 3^rd or 4^th class.

However, unrest erupted since Melih Bulu who is a loyalist and candidate for parliament in 2015, became rector of Istanbul’s prominent Bogazici University as of 1^st of January. Bulu does not have reliable university leadership experience which upset the protesters. Most of the students believe that it is an attempt of Erdogan to control the universities.

Most civil activities believe that such award was executed during Turkey’s 1980 military coup. The situation is getting serious. There have been snipers in duty while students continue protests. Either students or the security forces seems not dropping their guards while tension might erupt to unrest.