Turkish scientists under threat of prosecution after calling for peace
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029516
Nature : In early January a petition began circulating in Turkey that called for the government to stop fighting with Kurdish militants in the country’s southeastern regions. The current fighting is a continuation of a long-standing conflict between Turkey and its Kurdish minority, which alleges mistreatment at the hands of the government and is seeking more autonomy and rights in the region. On 12 January, following a terrorist attack in Istanbul, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan made a speech in which he said that the petition signatories were spreading and supporting terrorist propaganda. And on 15 January, police arrested 27 of the nearly 2000 Turkish academics who had signed the petition. Although they have all been released, much of the academic community remains concerned about further crackdowns.