Public Statement on the Recent Incidents in Turkey and Following Developments

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The military coup which was attempted on 15 July 2016 by a small fraction of the military was thwarted within a few hours as a result of the brave resistance shown by our security forces and the Turkish people against this heinous attempt to overthrow the democratically elected government. It is with great sorrow that during the struggle a total of 246 people have lost their lives; of which 179 were civilians, 62 were police officers and 5 were soldiers, and 2500 people have been wounded. Furthermore, some institutional buildings including even the Turkish Parliament were bombed during this struggle by the plotters.

As reported, a country-wide state of emergency has been declared for the duration of 3 months and some necessary precautionary measures have been taken to assure public order and safety, as well as to prevent the perpetrators from escaping judicial procedures. 

As part of these precautionary measures, some restrictions on international travel have been introduced. Even so, and contrary to the reports of international media, “all academics” have not been banned from travelling abroad. Initially, the ban had been introduced for academics travelling with official passports (working for state universities) and, as of 22 July 2016, this ban has also been abolished by the Higher Education Council. Public employees, including academics employed at state universities, can travel abroad by documenting that they are on official leave from their institutions.

The detention pending investigation of those suspected of affiliation with coup plotters is yet another temporary measure taken and the Turkish people and political leaders have shown great attention and diligence to ensure these investigations are conducted within the legal framework.

As a result, things are now under the control of the civilian government and the lives of citizens have been running its ordinary course since day one following the attempt.

TÜBİTAK calls upon the international community to side with democracy and show support, as well as respect, for the right of Turkish people to rule that the perpetrators of this heinous crime must be found and punished to the fullest extent of the law. We also take this opportunity to show our appreciation to those in the international community who have taken the side of democracy and the rule of the elected government. Keeping in mind the importance of solidarity and cooperation, we look forward to continuing our strong and fruitful collaboration together. 

01.09.2016