Turkey's treatment of scientists

The Hessian Minister of Science, Boris Rhein, as well as the presidiums of the Hessian universities are very concerned about the fact that the Turkish government is interfering with the structures of the universities to a considerable extent, suspects numerous university teachers of being opposed to the Turkish state and is therefore persecuting them personally.

Minister Boris Rhine and the presidiums protest emphatically against the suspensions and detentions of scientists in Turkey. Their solidarity is with the affected scientists and the students of Turkish universities who are committed to a scientific system based on freedom of research and teaching.

For all scientists at Hessian universities with Turkish citizenship who have been recalled to Turkey by state authorities, the responsible offices of the universities with their experts for international affairs are gladly available.

The relations of the Hessian universities with Turkey are characterized by numerous close cooperations in research and an intensive exchange of students and scientists. Minister Boris Rhein and the presidiums hope that the universities will be able to continue the existing good and productive cooperation in the near future.

In recent years, the number of exchange students between Germany and Turkey has grown steadily. The universities in Hesse have a great interest in continuing to enable students from both countries to gain valuable academic and cultural experience through stays abroad in Germany and Turkey respectively.

For our Turkish partners and friends it is important, especially in these difficult times, that we do not let the contacts break off and that we maintain joint projects, activities and the mobility of academics and students as far as possible within the framework of the circumstances.

Minister Boris Rhein and the presidiums of the Hessian universities emphatically endorse the statements of the German Rectors' Conference of July 20(www.hrk.de), the European University Association of July 19(www.eua.be) and the German Academic Exchange Service(www.daad.de) of July 20.

The statement is supported by:
Hessian Ministry of Science and Art(www.wissenschaft.hessen.de)
Darmstadt University of Technology (www.tu-darmstadt.de)
Goethe University Frankfurt am Main(www.uni-frankfurt.de)
Justus Liebig University Giessen (www.uni-giessen.de)
Kassel University (www.uni-kassel.de)
Philipps University Marburg(www.uni-marburg.de)
Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences(www.h-da.de)
Protestant University of Applied Sciences(www.eh-darmstadt.de)
Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences (www.frankfurt-university.de)
Fulda University of Applied Sciences (www.hs-fulda.de)
Technical University of Central Hesse (www.thm.de)
RhineMain University of Applied Sciences (www.hs-rm.de)
University of Music and Performing Arts (www.hfmdk-frankfurt.info)
Hochschule für Gestaltung(www.hfg-offenbach.de)
Geisenheim University of Applied Sciences(www.hs-geisenheim.de)

Publisher:
Hessian Ministry of Science and the Arts (HMWK)
Mark Kohlbecher, Press Officer
Rheinstraße 23-25, 65185 Wiesbaden
Tel. 0611/323230, E-Mail: pressestelle[at]hmwk.hessen[dot]de,
Internet: www.wissenschaft.hessen.de

Conference of Hessian University Presidents (KHU)
Prof. Dr. Katharina Krause, Speaker
Biegenstraße 10, 35037 Marburg
Tel. 06421/28-26002 , E-Mail: geschaeftsstelle[at]khu-hessen[dot]de,
Internet: www.khu-hessen.de

Universities of Applied Sciences (HAW Hessen)
Prof. Dr. Ralph Stengler, Chairman
Haardtring 100, 64295 Darmstadt
Tel. 06151/16-8000, E-Mail: vorsitz[at]haw-hessen[dot]de,
Internet: www.haw-hessen.de