Arrested for protesting Nurettin Yıldız! Message from Boğaziçi student: 'They are holding you to intimidate you'

Arda Atçı, a second-year student in the Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics at Boğaziçi University, was arrested after being detained for protesting the controversial statements made by Islamist writer Nurettin Yıldız regarding women and children. A message he wrote during his detention was shared on social media.

In a message shared on the social media account of journalist Barış Terkoğlu, Arda Atçı stated that he was detained along with 5 of his friends during the protest and is still being held in Silivri Prison. Emphasizing that the primary purpose of the detention is to create fear in society, Atçı used the following expressions:

"This detention is being continued solely to intimidate you who are on the outside. Do not fall into despair. Thanks to all of us, the darkness will soon give way to light. I have full confidence in the courage of the Turkish people."

The message sent to all of us by Arda Atçı, a second-year student at Boğaziçi University who was detained and arrested while protesting Nurettin Yıldız’s remarks about women and children:
“This detention is being continued to intimidate you who are on the outside. Do not fall into despair.… pic.twitter.com/jSezJQ0cxw

— Barış Terkoğlu (@baristerkoglu) May 18, 2025

Atçı used the following expressions in his message:

"First of all, to all the intelligent, hardworking, and conscious Turkish people, including Boğaziçi University students, my friends, and my family,

I am Arda, a second-year student in the Boğaziçi Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics. Last Tuesday, because we raised our voices against a citizen who has extremely backward rhetoric such as 'a 6-year-old child can be married' and 'a woman who is beaten by her husband should be grateful until morning,' I was detained and arrested along with 5 of my friends from the campus of the school where we are students.

I was held for 2 days in Metris and 2 days in Silivri, and I am still under arrest. I am doing fine here, and I have full faith that I will be released before long.

This detention is being continued solely to intimidate you who are on the outside. Do not fall into despair. Thanks to all of us, the darkness will soon give way to light. I have full confidence in the courage of the Turkish people.

See you as soon as possible."