Özgür Özel supports Boğaziçi academics: I say stop to this heartlessness

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel made a statement after visiting the vigil held by Boğaziçi University academics to show his support.

Highlights from Özel's statements are as follows:

"When the events first began here, on January 8, they put handcuffs on the university gate because President Erdoğan called those participating in the Boğaziçi protests 'terrorists.' The handcuffs placed on that gate are the best indicator of how the palace regime views the university. Many students were taken into custody.

He is a good student with incredible dreams. I called him to be by my side. That Doğu was held in Silivri for a long time. Those who saw Doğu's story called out to him. He is about to finish his undergraduate degree in Berlin.

I had met Kaan Bozgül. We met Berat İnci. These 3 genius children have left, not intending to return to Turkey. These are children who have been nurtured and cherished since they were 3 years old.

Both of them left the AKP when they saw how ruthless this regime is.

The first trustee lasted 1 year. They replaced him with Naci İnci, someone who is number one in insolence. I won't call him a rector, he is not a rector; I won't call him a trustee, he is not a trustee. It has been persistently continuing for 3 years.

To date, they have opened investigations into all academics who participated in these actions. A professor comes to the door to enter, and they say, 'You cannot enter, your entry has been banned.' Prof. Dr. Cem Say, the Head of the Computer Engineering Department, was my first choice; I couldn't even pass through his city, let alone be near him. They are not letting the professor inside the gate.

The university's upper management levels have been seized. The heating doesn't work here; professors and students are attending classes in their coats. Those who brought Boğaziçi to this state cannot defend their actions. 200 students, each well-trained at a genius level, have been lost to Germany over a 4-year period. Such evil cannot be done to a country. It cannot happen through negligence; it can only happen by design. You are going to collapse this institution, but what good will it do you? I want to say stop to this heartlessness."

News Source: 12punto