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

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

The ÇYDD (Association for Supporting Contemporary Life) Baden-Württemberg in Germany is facing one of the most severe institutional crises of recent years.

When the Association for Supporting Contemporary Life is mentioned, what comes to mind for years is the struggle for contemporary education 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 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 should not be 'cleared' 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.

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 Authority, documents released to the public, and written statements from 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, unfortunately, what is being discussed here is not just a general assembly scene.

Transparency, the principle of openness, the functioning of rules, and the extent to which 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 life 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 made on social media. It was claimed that the prepared reports contained 'lies,' were 'baseless,' and consisted of 'slander' and 'gossip.'

In the intervening period, however, new documents have emerged.

The audit report read at the general assembly…

The invalidation of the general assembly…

Criminal complaints by members…

Applications made to the German Data Protection 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 assessment 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's 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 the board member, who is stated to have acted in the capacity of 'second president' of the period, signed the 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 assessment to our newspaper, Demir also argued that the inclusion of the names of members whose expulsion was requested on the general assembly agenda was contrary to the law. Arguing that sharing the names in the agenda documents in a way that creates the impression that they have already been expelled, despite there being no finalized decision, violates personal rights and data protection provisions, Demir stated that for this reason, her applications to the relevant authorities are ongoing.

Furthermore, alleging 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, Demir 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 'cleared' 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 continuation of the process 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 regarding 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 education of women and the struggle for contemporary life, Demir stated that these calls have not been met, and therefore the previously voiced demands for the resignation of the management remain valid today. She also demanded that an apology letter 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 experienced serious danger during this time due to his visual impairment.

Ahmet Gül claimed that some expressions he alleged contained insults towards him were also 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 to the evaluation of the competent authorities.

“IS THIS HOW WE WILL SET AN EXAMPLE?”

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

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

“I have given my years to Contemporary Life. 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 dragged into such an incident. While we should make our youth believe in democracy, law, and human rights, it is unacceptable to turn them into people who block the way of members. 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: “Is this how we will set an example for the younger generation? The understanding of contemporary life cannot be represented by excluding people, pressure, and tension. I feel great sadness on behalf of my institution.”

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

WILL THE RECOMMENDATION OF “DO NOT CLEAR” BE IGNORED?

The assessment 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 'cleared.'

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 cleared.

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 consists of joint applications made to the German Data Protection Authority in Germany and the Stuttgart Registry Court (Amtsgericht Stuttgart – Registergericht).

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

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

THE HEART OF THE FILE: THE AUDIT REPORT

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

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

While it was stated that Audit Board President Engin Candan's recommendation that the management not be 'cleared' was announced at the general assembly, 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 the general assembly was deemed invalid after the assessment made by the Assembly Chair İlyas Çağla, and thus a vote on the audit board's 'do not clear' recommendation could not be held.

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

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 cleared is not an ordinary procedure in association law, but an exceptional and important warning that should be evaluated carefully.

(The assessments 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 Chairperson Prof. Dr. Ayşe Yüksel, once again emphasized that ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg has no institutional or hierarchical connection with the Association for Supporting Contemporary Life in Turkey.

The statement included the following expressions:

“Announcement to the Public

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 via 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 bylaw evaluations that came to the agenda 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 'cleared' 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, no response to the aforementioned question had been received yet.

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

DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS, SIMILAR HEADINGS

This file, of course, does not describe ÇYDD Baden-Württemberg.

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

Discussions on the use of earthquake donations and accountability in the Federation of Alevi Associations in Germany (AABF) remained on the public agenda for a long time. The process was carried 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 CHP's European structures in different periods.

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

However, the repetition of similar headings 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 only establish a 'scholarship-giving civil society 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 the 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 first apply the same principles within themselves? This 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 built with decades of effort in Europe, where will the energy be spent?

On service to 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…?

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 included, and legal processes are ongoing.

News Source: 12punto