Two Boğaziçi University students arrested, two placed under house arrest

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Detained on January 29, two students of Boğaziçi University have been arrested and two have been placed under house arrest.

The students were taken into custody over a picture of the Kaaba, a sacred site in Islam, with four LGBTI+ flags on its corners.

Two of them are now arrested and two are under house arrest for allegedly "degrading or inciting the public to enmity or hatred" with this picture.

The picture was on display in an exhibition at the South Campus of the university in İstanbul as part of the protests against Melih Bulu, who was appointed as the new president of Boğaziçi University by President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

The fact that Prof. Melih Bulu was appointed from outside the university's community without any electoral process and that he had been a candidate for nomination to run in the 2015 general elections from the AKP sparked harsh criticisms and protests among both the students and faculty members of Boğaziçi, one of the most prestigious universities of Turkey.

Since Bulu was appointed on January 2, students and academics have been protesting both at their campus and on social media.

Governor's Office: LGBTI flags 'captured'

The detention of the students was announced in a written statement released by the Governor's Office of İstanbul on January 30.

According to the statement, five students were detained, one of them was released afterwards and two students were still searched for.

The statement read, "It is detected that a picture 'showing the Kaaba with a figure of shahmaran on it and with a theme of LGBTI flag' was hung at the South Campus of Boğaziçi University on Friday."

Indicating that the teams of İstanbul Security Directorate made efforts to "catch the persons who committed the act of 'publicly degrading religious values held by a segment of society", the Governor's Office announced that "suspects named D.D., S.N.B, H.K., R.Ö. and S.C.U. were detained."

The efforts to "catch the two other suspects" were still ongoing, according to the statement of the governor's office.

Sharing information about the search conducted at the Boğaziçi University Fine Arts Students' Club upon the order of the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the Governor's Office of İstanbul stated that "a carriable billboard with the related picture on it as well as some banners and placards used in various protests were found."

"In addition, during the search carried out at Boğaziçi University LGBTI+ Club, a banned book with the emblem and propaganda of the PKK terrorist organization as well as LGBTI flags and various banners and placards used in protests were captured," claimed the office further.

Noting that R.Ö. was released upon the order of the prosecutor's office, the Governor's Office of İstanbul said, "We regretfully condemn this ugly attack on Kaaba, the sacred site of Islam and qibla of Muslims."

Targeted by another student club, pro-AKP daily

Before the students were taken into custody later in the day, the exhibition had been targeted by another students' club, Boğaziçi University Islamic Studies Club (BİSAK), on social media.

It claimed that "a picture at the exhibition dishonorably defamed and defaced the Kaaba, the most sacred site of Islam and the qibla of Muslims."

"In no way do we accept that this immorality is legitimized under the cover of art and, to top it all, it is defended by crossing the lines," the club said, adding that it would "never let its Islamic values be mocked with impunity."

The message of BİSAK and a video footage from the exhibition were then published on Yeni Şafak, a pro-government newspaper.

Students targeted by top state officials

Afterwards, President of Religious Affairs Ali Erbaş and Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu shared social media messages about the issue.

Ali Erbaş tweeted that "he condemned the attack on the sacred site of Muslims, their qibla and Islamic values in front of Boğaziçi University," adding that they would "closely follow up the issue and take legal action against the ones who committed this disrespectful act."

Soylu also tweeted, "Two LGBT deviants who committed the disrespectful act against the Kaaba at Boğaziçi University have been detained!"

Following these remarks targeting the LGBTI+ community, several social media users tweeted under the hashtag #LGBTIHaklarıİnsanHaklarıdır", meaning "LGBTI+ rights are human rights."

Soylu's tweet has also been withheld by Twitter in France:

Süleyman Soylu'nun paylaşımına Fransa'dan erişilmiyor pic.twitter.com/s0l4ASIdJ6

— Jalal Haddad (@Jalalhaddad) January 30, 2021

Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül also shared a message and said, "The law cannot tolerate the disrespect of the ones whose hearts have rusted with hate for our sacred, the Kaaba. An investigation has been launched into this ignominy by the İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and a detention warrant has been issued against the perpetrators."

'Comprehensive investigation' by university

Melih Bulu, the appointed rector of the university, also tweeted amid students' and academics' calls for his resignation since January 5: 

"The attack on the sacreds of Islam by a group of impertinent people is unacceptable. This has no place among Boğaziçi values.

"A comprehensive investigation has been launched against the ones who are responsible for this mindless attack."

CHP Vice Chair's remarks sparked criticisms

Amid these statements and debates, Faik Öztrak, the Spokesperson and Vice Chair of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), also shared a message on Twitter, which also sparked reactions:

"We cannot accept any attack or humiliation targeting the sacred values of humanity. We vehemently condemn this open provocation. We expect the seen and unseen responsible parties to be identified as soon as possible." (RT/DŞ/SD)