Education Sen's reaction to the arrest of two university students: 'It is a clear indication of the government's intolerance of criticism'

Students Nevin Tekin and Nehir Dizdar, members of the Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP), who hung a banner saying "We have no future, there is no peace for you, Yusuf Tekin, resign" before the visit of Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin to Istanbul Kadıköy High School, were arrested.

A reaction statement came from the Education and Science Workers' Union (Eğitim Sen) against the arrest of two university students.

In the written statement made by Eğitim Sen, the following was noted:

"The education system in Turkey is in a deep crisis due to market-oriented education policies that have been persistently implemented for many years. While students have difficulty in accessing their most basic rights such as nutrition, shelter, hygiene and quality education, sending young people to prisons who oppose policies that religiousize education, marketize it and disconnect it from its scientific basis is a clear indication of the government's intolerance to criticism and different voices. The right to seek rights and peaceful protest, guaranteed by the Constitution and international agreements, can never be described as a crime. On the basis of a democratic society, listen to the critical voice of the youth." In our country, as in many European countries, students have the right to criticize the education policies of the government and express their democratic reactions against these policies.

Educational institutions and young people cannot be placed under tutelage through anti-democratic practices, threats of punishment and judicial pressure. The arrest of students who express their demand for qualified, public and scientific education will go no further than an attempt to cover up the deep problems in the education system and will not prevent young people from struggling to seek their legitimate rights. The arrested students should be released immediately and all allegations and investigations against them should be withdrawn. As Eğitim Sen, we express that we stand by the young people's struggle for free, democratic and scientific education, and we demand the immediate release of the arrested students."