University President Complains, Restricts News Column

Turkey’s Telecommunication Authorities (TİB) issued a restriction on columnist Ezgi Başaran’s critical article about universities on Radikal newspaper website upon a request by Mehmet Karaca - the president of Istanbul Technical University (İTÜ).   

Entitled “Dingoların bilim dünyasında acıklı haberler” (Sad news from the scientific world of the reckless), Başaran’s article dated on September 30 has been restricted without a court order. 

In February, an omnibus bill stretched TİB’s duties to restrict website content without the consent of a peace court judge.  

Article severely criticized university administrations

The aforementioned article criticized the university administrations, claiming that the administrators were incompetent and only leaning towards the government.  

It also mentioned a dispute at İTÜ where two research assistant couldn’t return to their post even though an administrative court ruled their return after being dismissed by the university administration.  

Başaran: Bravo!

Commenting on the incident, Ezgi Başaran tweeted that she was one of the first victims of “TİB’s extraordinary competencies”. 

“İTÜ president restricted my article for 24 hours. Bravo,” she wrote.

Başaran also wrote another article on radikal.com.tr regarding the matter, congratulating Mehmet Karaca for creating awareness on “the scientific world of the reckless”. (EÖ/HK).

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.