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

Institution(s):Bilkent University | Hacettepe University | Middle East Technical University

Region & Country:Western Asia | Turkey

New or Ongoing:New Incident

On March 21, 2025, police used pepper spray and water cannons to disperse students protesting at Middle East Technical University (METU).

That evening, students from Hacettepe University and Bilkent University gathered at Güvenpark, a community square in Ankara, to peacefully 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. After the protest in Güvenpark ended, the Hacettepe and Bilkent students marched towards METU, encountering a heavy police presence along the way. METU students had been blocked from leaving campus to march in the street.

As they arrived at METU, police forcibly dispersed students. Images posted on social media show police were trying to disperse the students using pepper spray and water cannons.

The previous night, police had also used force to disperse METU students as they protested (see report). The protests were connected to 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. As of 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:
https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cqlyx2venkxo
https://www.bbc.com/turkce/articles/cq6ye161j74o
https://www.instagram.com/epa_images/p/DHdLhMFt2MX/?locale=zh_CN