The punishments handed out to students who petitioned the president of the Hundredth Year University (YYU) to have Kurdish as an optional class in the education year 2001-2002, are in effect once again.

The punishments were suspended in May. However, the local court at the YYU administration decided that the punishments are put in effect again.

The university administration expelled 33 students, suspended 34 students for two periods, 50 students were suspended for half a period, and 50 students were suspended from school for a week. 20 of the expelled students were seniors and 12 were juniors, while one was a sophomore.

The students, who were either expelled or suspended from school for demanding Kurdish language education starting from January, had applied to a regional court and had their punishments suspended.

But the university administration met once again on November 19 to talk about the issue and put the punishments in effect. The students found out about this decision after two weeks.

The deputy president of the university Prof. Dr. Nihat Mert said they had eliminated the shortcomings addressed in the court's suspension decision and put the punishments back in force.

"We have not punished them for the second time," he said.

Lawyer Fasih Kina said the court had suspended the punishments because it found they were against the procedure. The university may have overcome the aspects that were against the procedure and repeated the decision, said Kina.

He said they would apply to court for a cancellation and they would demand the suspension of the execution of the punishments.

The possible decision of cancellation by the court will be in effect within 30 days, which means the students would be able to take the make-up exams. (HA/BB/NK/EA/NM)