Dismissed academic prevented from entering Boğaziçi University by appointed rector's orders

Duvar English 

Turkish police and private security employees on Oct. 11 prevented internationally renowned documentary filmmaker and academic Can Candan, who was earlier this year dismissed by the new rector of Istanbul's Boğaziçi University, from entering the campus.

Candan had earlier announced that he would conduct an open lecture on the premises of the South Campus.

In a video shared on his Twitter account, Candan said that the ban was imposed by the rectorship.

“I have come here together with my wife, who is an academic at the sociology department. When they [police and private security staff] saw me, they said, 'We cannot take you into the university.' When I asked why, they said, 'It is the orders of the rectorship.' I cannot hold my open lecture,” Candan said.

“What saddens me is that we have been surrounded by riot and civilian police at the entrance of my institution, where I have taught for the last 14 years, and that the right of education of my students is being violated right now,” he said.

Several social media users protested the rectorship's move, throwing their support behind Candan with the hashtag of #CanCandanYalnızDeğildir (Can Candan is not alone). 

On July 15, Candan was dismissed from Boğaziçi University by acting rector Naci İnci, who assumed the post after the removal of Melih Bulu by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

İnci was vice-rector under Bulu, whose appointment in January sparked mass protests in the university and across Turkey.

On Aug. 20, via a presidential decree, İnci was appointed as the new head of the prestigious institution despite the high disapproval rates he received on polls held among the community.