Minister of National Education Tekin on detained students: 'It is wrong to say everyone is being taken into custody'
Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin spoke about the students arrested during the İmamoğlu protests. Stating that “it is not correct to say that everyone participating in the protest is being taken into custody,” Tekin argued that only those who “terrorize the demonstrations” are being detained.
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As protests continue across Turkey following the detention of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu on March 19 on charges of 'corruption' and 'terrorism,' and his subsequent arrest on March 23 on charges of 'corruption,' a striking statement has come from Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin.
Responding to journalists' questions before the AKP group meeting, Minister Tekin spoke about the 299 students arrested during the protests. At a time when calls for justice for the students are rising, Tekin opposed the criticisms regarding the arrests and defined those detained during the protests as “individuals who terrorize the demonstrations.”
''INDIVIDUALS WHO TERRORIZE THE DEMONSTRATIONS...''
In his statement, Tekin said, “Around 800 students were recently detained in the protests. Who is being detained? Individuals who engage in behaviors against our security officers that we cannot explain in any way in terms of the right to protest, that is, individuals who terrorize these demonstrations.”
Minister Tekin stated that these individuals harm not only the protests but also the rights of other protesters:
“Individuals who terrorize these demonstrations in a way that violates not only public order but also the rights of other protesters are being detained. One must look at it this way.”
''IT IS WRONG TO SAY EVERYONE IS BEING TAKEN INTO CUSTODY''
The Minister of National Education stated that not all protesters are being detained, saying, “It is wrong to say that everyone participating in the protest is being taken into custody. There is no such thing.”
Yusuf Tekin continued his statement as follows:
“Those who participate in protests and act in an antidemocratic and unlawful manner while exercising their democratic rights will be detained. If there are people who act in a way that threatens or takes away another person's right to life while exercising their democratic rights, they must also face legal sanctions.”