Is it just a “Türkan Saylan crisis”? Her name is circulating in court documents in Germany

Is it just a “Türkan Saylan crisis”? Her name is circulating in court documents in Germany

IŞIN ERTÜRK 

The incident is not just about an association and a highly respected name like Türkan Saylan. We are facing an event that symbolizes associations of Turkish origin in Germany and even Western Europe—often called “non-governmental organizations” (NGOs)—which are specifically noted for being “democratic.” We are witnessing a process where progressive, enlightenment-oriented qualities are suffering wounds. 

Police, ambulances, criminal complaints, a recommendation in the audit report that the management not be “acquitted”… However, a general assembly deemed invalid due to procedural disputes, and official applications filed one after another…

The ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg in Germany is facing one of the most severe institutional crises of recent years.

When the Association for Supporting Contemporary Living (ÇYDD) is mentioned, what comes to mind for years is the contemporary education struggle that grew under the leadership of Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan, the education of girls, the Republic, secularism, science, and enlightenment.

Today, however, the ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg structure in Germany is on the agenda for entirely different reasons.

The general assembly held in Stuttgart on June 21, 2026, was not only the scene of heated debates; the audit report's recommendation that the management “not be acquitted” drew attention, and the general assembly was deemed invalid due to objections regarding the notice period stipulated in the bylaws, leading to the arrival of police and ambulances at the scene and the subsequent legal processes that brought the matter to the public agenda.

However, the file did not stop there.

Applications made by expelled members, criminal complaints, requests for investigation submitted to the Registry Court (Amtsgericht Stuttgart – Registergericht) within the Stuttgart District Court, applications made to the German Data Protection Supervisory Authority, documents released to the public, and the written statements of the parties show that this is no longer just an internal association dispute.

When the bylaws, official applications, written statements, and other documents we have obtained are examined together, the picture that emerges is not specific to ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg; it brings with it a broader discussion regarding the institutional functioning of Turkish civil society in Europe.

Because what is being discussed here is unfortunately not just a general assembly scene.

Transparency, the principle of openness, the functioning of rules, and how much the recommendations of audit boards are taken into account are being discussed.

Most importantly: Institutions that claim to defend the Republic, secularism, the rule of law, and contemporary living are also being forced to question to what extent they can uphold these same principles in their own internal operations.

DOCUMENTS SPEAK, THE LAW WILL HAVE THE FINAL SAY

Following the publication of the first reports regarding the process experienced at ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg, heavy accusations were leveled on social media. It was claimed that the prepared reports contained “lies,” “baseless” information, “slander,” and “gossip.”

In the time that has passed, new documents have also emerged.

The audit report read at the general assembly…

The general assembly being deemed invalid…

Criminal complaints by members…

Applications made to the German Data Protection Supervisory Authority…

Requests for investigation made to the Stuttgart Registry Court…

The criminal complaint by founding president Ahmet Gül…

Written statements of members whose expulsions are being discussed…

The evaluation made to the public by the ÇYDD Headquarters…

The discussion has now gone far beyond personal polemics.

The documents are speaking.

These documents show that a significant portion of the allegations is now before the relevant administrative and judicial authorities.

NURAN DEMİR: “NOT PERSONAL, A LEGAL STRUGGLE”

The detailed press release and legal applications prepared by Melek Nuran Demir, who is among the members whose expulsions are being discussed, are among the important documents in the file.

Demir states that she sent numerous written objections and warnings to the association management over the course of months.

In her applications, she alleges that the disciplinary and expulsion processes were not carried out in accordance with the association's bylaws, the German Associations Act, and fundamental legal principles.

In her applications, she specifically includes the allegation that a board member, who is stated to have acted with the title of “second president,” signed expulsion decisions before the necessary election and official registration procedures were completed.

Demir states that the audit report read at the general assembly contained findings that coincide with the legal objections she had previously expressed in writing. 

In her evaluation to our newspaper, Demir also argued that the inclusion of the names of members whose expulsion was requested on the general assembly agenda was also contrary to the law. Arguing that sharing the names in the agenda documents in a way that creates the impression that they have been expelled, despite there being no finalized decision, violates personal rights and data protection provisions, Demir stated that her applications to the relevant authorities for this reason are ongoing.

Furthermore, Demir, who claims that the board of directors abused its authority instead of taking into account the objections and complaints submitted, and that this damaged not only the members subject to the disciplinary process but also the institutional reputation of the association, emphasized in her statement: “My goal is not a personal settling of scores with anyone, but to contribute to the rule of law, transparency, a culture of accountability, and the protection of members' fundamental rights in associations.”

Drawing attention to another development that occurred during the general assembly, Nuran Demir recalled that the Audit Board recommended that the management “not be acquitted” and that the meeting was deemed invalid on the grounds that the general assembly call was not made in accordance with the period stipulated in the bylaws. Demir also alleged that despite this, a lawyer member present at the general assembly introduced themselves as the association's lawyer and took the floor to call on members to continue the meeting and accept it as valid.

Stating that this approach was a worrying and suspicious attitude, Demir conveyed her concerns with the words: “Approaches that advocate for the process to continue despite legal objections being clearly stated show the gravity of what is happening. We cannot allow this.”

Stating that her initiatives regarding the attitude and verbal attacks towards female members are also continuing, Demir said that an apology is expected in public on this issue, but no such step has been taken to date. Expressing that they demand the establishment of a ground for reconciliation in an institution like ÇYDD, which is identified with the struggle for women's education and contemporary living, Demir stated that these calls have not found a response, and therefore the previously voiced demands for the resignation of the management remain valid today. She also demanded that an apology be sent to all members by the members whose names were mentioned in the expulsions.

Demir also emphasized that female members should not remain silent in the face of unlawful practices, and that a strong civil society is only possible with adherence to law and democratic values.

FOUNDING PRESIDENT AHMET GÜL FILED A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT

Ahmet Gül, the founding and honorary president of ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg, also filed a criminal complaint against President Zeynep Taş following the general assembly on June 21.

In the petition he prepared, Gül alleged that he wanted to enter the general assembly hall but was not allowed in, even though his membership had not yet ended.

In his petition, he stated that he was subjected to physical intervention while trying to enter the hall, and that he was in serious danger during this time because he is visually impaired.

Ahmet Gül also claimed that some expressions he alleged contained insults towards him were used during the incident.

In the criminal complaint, he also explained that he felt unwell during the later hours of the meeting, was taken outside with the help of members, that an ambulance, emergency doctor team, and police teams were dispatched to the scene, and that he was then taken to the hospital for initial intervention and examinations.

These allegations in the petition have been submitted for the evaluation of the competent authorities.

“IS THIS HOW WE WILL SET AN EXAMPLE?”

Founding and honorary president Ahmet Gül also expressed the disappointment that these events caused him, in addition to the allegations in the criminal complaint, in his evaluation.

Stating that he felt deep sadness due to the verbal expressions towards him and the alleged physical intervention at the general assembly, Gül made the following evaluation:

“I have given my years to Contemporary Living. It deeply hurts me that the understanding represented by Türkan Saylan is remembered with these images today. I have difficulty understanding how people who talk about law, rights, and justice can treat members in this way at a general assembly.”

Touching upon what happened during the general assembly, Gül alleged that President Zeynep Taş assigned a young member to prevent him from entering the hall and said the following:

“I do not find it right for a student to be involved in such an incident. While we should be convincing our youth of democracy, law, and human rights, making them people who block the path of members is unacceptable. I am not criticizing this young friend, but the mindset that pushed them into this task.”

Expressing that what happened hurt not only him but also the values he thinks are represented, Gül continued his statement as follows: “Is this how we will set an example for the younger generations? The understanding of contemporary living cannot be represented by excluding people, pressure, and tension. I feel great sadness on behalf of my institution.”

(Ahmet Gül's aforementioned evaluations are his own views, and the legal process regarding the events is ongoing.)

WILL THE “DO NOT ACQUIT” RECOMMENDATION BE IGNORED?

The evaluation that Ahmet Gül shared with the public after the general assembly is also among the noteworthy documents in the file.

Gül stated that the audit board recommended that the management “not be acquitted.”

In his post, he conveyed that attention was drawn to possible legal and financial risks due to the ongoing expulsion debates, and therefore it was stated that the management should not be acquitted.

Then he made the following call:

“They have to give the audit report to the members who request it. Please request and read it.”

The aforementioned call also reveals why the audit report became one of the most important documents in the file after the general assembly.

“THEY DISTRIBUTED OUR NAMES TO 260 MEMBERS”

Another important leg of the file is the joint applications made to the German Data Protection Supervisory Authority and the Stuttgart Registry Court (Amtsgericht Stuttgart – Registergericht) in Germany.

The applications bear the signatures of Nuran Demir, Nazan Kılıç, Müşerref Kutlu, and other members.

The applicants allege that their names and personal information were sent to approximately 260 members via general assembly invitations and agenda documents without their explicit consent.

For this reason, they are requesting an investigation within the scope of German and European Union legislation regarding the protection of personal data.

In the same applications, the way personal data is processed in disciplinary and expulsion processes is also made a subject of complaint.

The applicants want the legality of the data processing processes to be investigated and the necessary administrative procedures to be initiated.

STUTTGART REGISTRY COURT IS INVOLVED

The applications are not limited to the data protection dimension.

In the petitions submitted to the Stuttgart Registry Court (Amtsgericht Stuttgart – Registergericht), an investigation is also requested regarding the representative structure of the association.

The applicants want an investigation into whether the person stated to have acted with the title of “second president” was elected in accordance with the procedure and whether the necessary registration procedures were completed.

In this context, it is requested that the legal validity of some documents, especially expulsion procedures, be examined.

All evaluations contained in these applications are in the nature of the allegations of the applying members and the investigation requests they have made to official authorities.

At this stage, there is no finalized court decision or administrative decision rendered regarding these allegations.

THE HEART OF THE FILE: THE AUDIT REPORT

Almost every topic in the file today revolves around the same document: The audit board report.

It is stated that the report read at the general assembly includes evaluations regarding the legal processes experienced in the recent period, legal expenses, office and rent expenses, and expulsion processes.

While it was stated that it was announced at the general assembly that Audit Board President Engin Candan recommended that the management “not be acquitted,” it was also conveyed that after this recommendation, objections were raised that the general assembly call was not made in accordance with the period stipulated in the bylaws.

It was announced that after the evaluation made by the Assembly Chair İlyas Çağla, the general assembly was deemed invalid, and thus a vote on the audit board's “non-acquittal” recommendation could not be held.

The content of the audit report continues to be the document at the center of the file today, both in the members' applications and in public discussions.

Let us remind you here that the duty of audit boards is not limited to reading the financial statement, but to bring legal and administrative risks regarding the management to the attention of the members. For this reason, the recommendation that the management not be acquitted is not a routine procedure in association law, but an exceptional and important warning that should be evaluated with care.

(The evaluations in this file were prepared based on official applications, written statements of the parties, publicly available posts, and documents that reached us.)

CHAIRPERSON AYŞE YÜKSEL: “WE LEARNED WITH SADNESS”

The ÇYDD Headquarters also made a written statement to the public regarding the developments in Stuttgart on June 21.

The Board of Directors, chaired by Prof. Dr. Ayşe Yüksel, once again emphasized that ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg has no institutional or hierarchical connection with the Association for Supporting Contemporary Living in Turkey.

The statement included the following expressions:

“Public Announcement

ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg, which was established in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany and has no institutional or hierarchical connection with our association, has a separate legal personality.

We have learned with sadness of the developments that took place at the general assembly meeting of the aforementioned association dated June 21, 2026.

Although it has no institutional or hierarchical connection with our association, we do not find this tension between members in this association, which was established for similar purposes, to be correct, and we hope it will be resolved as soon as possible.

We announce it to the public with our respects.

ÇYDD Headquarters Board of Directors”

ÇYDD BW: “WE DID NOT CONTINUE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY”

The ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg Board of Directors, in a statement made on social media after the general assembly, announced that the meeting started as planned, but that the general assembly was not continued in order to prevent future decisions from becoming legally controversial due to the procedural evaluations that came up in the audit board report and the members' will to continue their objections.

The Board of Directors announced that the new general assembly date would be determined in accordance with the bylaws and that the current management would continue its duty during this period.

ANKARA'S RESPONSE IS AWAITED

During the preparation of the news, we also directed the following question to the ÇYDD Headquarters:

In a process where the audit board recommended that the management “not be acquitted” and the general assembly could not be completed due to procedural disputes, is an evaluation being made regarding the acceptance of scholarships and donations from the current management?

As this news was being prepared for publication, a response to the question had not yet been received.

We will share it with the public when the response arrives.

DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS, SIMILAR HEADLINES

This file, of course, is not just about ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg.

It points more to the discussions reflected in the public eye in recent years in non-governmental organizations of Turkish origin in Europe. Why? Because it bears striking similarities.

Discussions on the use of earthquake donations and accountability in the Federation of Alevi Communities in Germany (AABF) remained on the public agenda for a long time. The process was moved to disciplinary mechanisms and the judiciary. The federation, on the other hand, informed the public with its reports and statements.

Discussions regarding general assemblies, the delegate system, the organizational model, and membership processes were also experienced in the CHP's European structures in different periods.

Each file has its own legal conditions and its own facts.

However, the repetition of similar headlines in different institutions reveals a common picture that now needs to be thought about.

Transparency.

Tolerating criticism.

WHERE IS TÜRKAN SAYLAN'S LEGACY GOING?

Prof. Dr. Türkan Saylan, of course, did not just establish a “scholarship-giving NGO model” throughout her life. She also represented an understanding of law, equality, contemporaneity, science, merit, and democracy.

Today, the public's expectation is exactly that these principles be fully upheld in the internal operations of institutions themselves.

Can institutions that defend the rule of law, secularism, democracy, and human rights on behalf of society inspire confidence in society to the extent that they can apply the same principles within themselves first? That is what needs to be looked at.

A significant portion of the allegations in this file is now before the relevant administrative and judicial authorities.

The courts will, of course, have the final say.

For the Republican, democratic, and contemporary civil society accumulation created with decades of effort in Europe, where will the energy be spent?

On serving society, or on internal settling of scores?

One needs to look at the compass… What is it pointing to?

To the showcase, the show, and power…?

Or to fair functioning, adding value, ideals, and goals?

IŞIN ERTÜRK – STUTTGART

(*) ADDITIONAL NOTE: The author of this news file was present as a member at the general assembly held on June 21, 2026; in addition, the information included in the news was prepared by evaluating the observations made at the general assembly, the written statements of the parties, official applications, and the documents reached by our newspaper together. The views of the parties included in the news have been given space, and legal processes are ongoing.