SAR’s Academic Freedom Monitoring Project investigates and reports attacks on higher education with the aim of raising awareness, generating advocacy, and increasing protection for scholars, students, and academic communities. Starting July 1, 2026, SAR no longer publishes reports for the incidents that it records. SAR continues to monitor and record incidents that will be used in the annual Free to Think report. This page provides a record of incidents reported up to that date. Learn more about the Academic Freedom Monitoring Project.

Date of Incident: March 20, 2025

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances

Institution(s):Akdeniz University

Region & Country:Western Asia | Turkey

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On March 20, 2025, police used force to disperse students protesting at Akdeniz University.

Students had gathered on the campus to protest the government’s arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul and the Republican People’s Party’s candidate for the 2028 presidential elections. A few hours later, police entered the university and demanded the students disperse. When the students refused to leave, police reportedly fired tear gas and water cannons at them. Video posted on Facebook shows police and students pushing and shoving one another. An unknown number of students were arrested.

The protest comes amid nationwide demonstrations that began on March 19 following the arrest of İmamoğlu on factually baseless charges of corruption. University students have played a large role in the protests. By April 18, more than 2,000 individuals had been arrested, with 189 people, most of whom are university students, facing a range of charges, including attending an unauthorized demonstration and not obeying police orders to disperse; carrying weapons or covering their faces to conceal their identity; and incitement to commit a crime.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the use of force during a student protest and the detention of students exercising their right to freedom of expression. While state authorities have the responsibility to maintain order and prevent disruption, they must refrain from the disproportionate use of force and endangerment of civilians and must respect the right to freedom of association and freedom of expression. Students and members of the public must refrain from violence, especially on campus, and also respect the right to freedom of association and freedom of expression. Such actions, beyond harming the immediate victims, have a chilling effect on academic freedom.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://www.lidergazete.com/asayis/akdeniz-universitesi-ndeki-eyleme-polis-mudahale-etti/237703
https://www.antalyasokaklari.com/sokak/akdeniz-universitesinde-ogrencilerin-protestosuna-sert-mudahale-gozaltilar-var.html
https://www.facebook.com/reel/1026887722826786