Boğaziçi's trustee rector defies court decision to reinstate academic Can Candan

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The appointed trustee rector of Istanbul's prestigious Boğaziçi University is defying the court's decision to reinstate academic Can Candan to the university’s Department of Western Languages and Literature.

In a notification letter sent to Candan, the university management said they did not “need his service since an academic was already appointed in the area of his lecture.” The decision, signed by Deputy Rector Fazıl Önder Sönmez ve Trustee Rector Naci İnci, also cited the disciplinary investigation launched against Candan in its decision.

Candan shared a copy of the notification letter on social media, saying that he will continue to seek for his rights in court.

Candan's lawyer Fırat Kuyurtar also released a statement saying that the rector's decision “is nothing else than refusing to implement the rules of law, ignoring the judicial legislation and efforts finding a legal cover for personal animosity.”

The lawyer also said that they will file an application with the Istanbul Administrative Court, challenging the rector's decision once again.

İnci terminated Candan's employment contract in July 2021, when he was serving as the acting rector. Afterwards, Candan took the decision to the court, which halted the execution of the academic's dismissal with a decision in March.

Candan had been outspoken during the months-long protests against President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's appointment of Melih Bulu as the rector of Boğaziçi University in January 2021. Bulu was removed from his duty by Erdoğan in July 2021 and was instead replaced by İnci.

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