Support from TKH for Kadir Has University academic Zeliha Gizem Sayın

An academic at Kadir Has University reacted to individuals in a prayer room leaving their shoes in front of her office door.

The academic, expressing her discomfort with the shoes, reacted by saying, “This is a prayer room, I am not stepping on your prayer rug. There are shoe racks here so that there aren't 18 pairs of shoes and 48 bags in front of my door. This is a prayer room for everyone; Christians and Buddhists can also perform their prayers here, this is not a mosque. You cannot leave shoes in front of my office door, there is a shoe rack for that. The school's rules apply to everyone, I don't have to see your smelly shoes when I step out of my door.”

Kadir Has University announced in a post on its social media account that an investigation has been launched regarding the footage.

STATEMENT FROM TKH

Following the unfolding events, the Communist Movement of Turkey (TKH) issued a written statement.

The TKH included the following statements in its announcement:

"The situation that emerged after Zeliha Gizem Sayın, who works as a lecturer at Kadir Has University, warned some students going to the prayer room about leaving their shoes in front of her office door is a true indicator of the bigoted mentality in our country.

The lynching campaign organized against Zeliha Gizem Sayın via social media through the video of the incident, claiming she 'attacked sacred values,' was joined by the pro-government press and even Presidential Chief Advisor Oktay Saral, despite having no connection to the matter, who targeted Sayın. It is clear that there is a provocation and targeting here. Finally, Gizem Sayın has also been summoned by the police to give a statement regarding the issue.

The addition of TÜGVA to the caravan of provocative and reactionary statements on the subject and the use of the phrase 'Muslim Republic of Turkey' in its statement is a declaration of the obvious. TÜGVA has declared that it wants a religious state.

"THOSE WHO TRY TO INTIMIDATE SOCIETY MUST ACCOUNT FOR THEIR LIES IN THE PAST"

Stirring up provocation, playing the victim, and using religion as a tool for politics are the most basic habits of bigots in our country. We remember a similar game from the Kabataş lies.

These events cannot be seen as an isolated incident. This situation that has emerged at Kadir Has University should be treated as a sign of the AKP government's attacks on secularism and the steps it will take in the coming period to purge secularism from both social life and the Constitution.

Those who are raising a ruckus today by saying 'there is an attack on our sacred values' and who are trying to lynch a female academic, intimidate her with investigations, and suppress society must first account for their lies in the past.

"WE STAND WITH ZELİHA GİZEM SAYIN"

Those who claim to stand up to the USA while wallowing in NATO-ism and Americanism; those who start every sentence with 'Hey Netanyahu...' while their children and supporters break export records to Israel; those who shed crocodile tears for Gaza while preaching that 'if we fall out with Israel, they will ruin us'; those who talk big against the 'interest lobby' while crushing our country's laborers under the interest-based, rentier capitalist system are of the same lineage and ilk as the bigots and reactionary structures like TÜGVA who signed off on the provocation at Kadir Has University today.

Turkey is a secular country and will not be a religious state. That is why we must stand against all steps taken by reactionaries to suppress secularism and those who favor progressive thought. Therefore, we stand with the academic Zeliha Gizem Sayın, who has been targeted by reactionaries at Kadir Has University.

We will win secularism!"

The mentality behind the reactionary provocation is clear. Let us stand against the steps taken to suppress secularism!#WeWillWinSecularism #StandUpForSecularism

For the full statement?https://t.co/XtHunyLaCG pic.twitter.com/Uj9XDIVBI6

— TKH (@komunisthareket) December 25, 2023

News Source: 12punto