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 21, 2025

Attack Types: Killings, Violence, Disappearances | Imprisonment

Institution(s):Dokuz Eylül University

Region & Country:Western Asia | Turkey

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On March 21, 2025, police forcibly dispersed students protesting at Dokuz Eylül University’s Tinaztepe campus. At least 10 students were detained.

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. Video footage posted online shows that after police entered the university, they fired tear gas and water cannons to disperse the students, prompting a clash. Police fired pepper spray, shoved, and kicked students on the ground as students attempted to approach and shove the officers.

The protest came 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 against peaceful student protesters by police. While state authorities have an obligation to take all reasonable measures to ensure the safety of students and university personnel and should endeavor to prevent disruptions that inappropriately inhibit the functioning of or access to higher education, they must do so consistent with their responsibility to ensure academic freedom and free expression on campus. The punishment of nonviolent student expression undermines academic freedom and democratic society generally.

Sources:
*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
https://yurtsever.org.tr/2025/dokuz-eylul-universitesi-ogrencilerine-polis-mudahalesi-544530/
https://ankahaber.net/haber/detay/dokuz_eylul_universitesi_ogrencilerine_polisten_sert_mudahale_1_ogrenci_yaralandi_10_ogrenci_gozaltina_alindi_228307