Turkey protests
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George Monastiriakos (English, French, & Greek)
Part-time professor, Faculty of Law
Professor Monastiriakos is an expert in Greek and Turkish politics, as well as international affairs related to US foreign policy, Ukraine and Israel.
“The protests are a symptom of Türkiye’s democratic backsliding, which includes President Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) consolidating power in the executive branch at the expense of the judiciary and the legislature, replacing judges and prosecutors with AKP loyalists, and engaging in lawfare against high profile opposition figures like the leader of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party Selahattin Demirtas and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.”
Omer Livvarcin (English & Turkish)
Part-time professor, Political Studies, Faculty of social sciences
Professor Livarccin is an expert in international human rights law and Middle East politics.
“What is happening in Turkey is a troubling setback in Turkey’s democratic progress and modernization efforts.”
Aylin Seçkin (English, French, & Turkish)
Invited professor, Public and International Affairs, Faculty of social sciences
Professor Seçkin can comment on the economic dimension of these protests.
"The incidents began with the cancellation of the university diploma of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. Later, various mayors of the Republican People's Party, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, were arrested on corruption charges. According to Article 34 of the Constitution of the Republic of Turkey, everyone has the right to organize unarmed and peaceful meetings and demonstrations without prior permission. Despite this, the government's police imprisoned thousands of people. Every evening about a million people gather to protest in front of the Istanbul Municipality building at Sarachane. Over 300 people were injured by plastic bullets and tear gas. Now they have opened the same investigations into the Ankara Metropolitan Municipality."
Jabeur Fathally (English & French)
[email protected]
Professor Fathally can comment on international issues related to the different armed conflicts in the Middle –East.