The Letter: 

"Dear Professors and Colleagues,

1,128 academics from 89 universities in Turkey, and over 355 academics and researchers from abroad have signed a text calling on state of Turkey to end state violence and prepare negotiation conditions.

In the Kurdish region of Turkey, since 16 August 2015, there have been 58 officially confirmed, open-ended curfews in 19 districts of 7 cities. Human casualties increase day by day, hundreds of civilians lost their lives. You can find more information about the situation in the following links.

1. Fact sheet by Human Rights Foundation of Turkey http://en.tihv.org.tr/fact-sheet-on-declared-curfews-in-tu

2. Call by Amnesty International http://www.amnestyusa.org/get-involved/take-action-now/turkey-stop-imposing-arbitrary-restrictions-on-freedom-of-movement-ua-616

And today ( 12 January 2016), after a very brutal attack on tourists in İstanbul by the ISIS; Turkish President Erdoğan made a typically defiant speech, mostly attacking on this petition and those who signed it. Erdoğan also attacked foreign academics and writers, including Noam Chomsky for criticism of his government.

He said: “Pick a side. You are either on the side of the Turkish government, or you’re on the side of the terrorists". 

Just 2 hours after this speech, Turkish Higher Education Council announced that it would launch an investigation against those who signed in Turkey. In this situation supporting the academics in Turkey is much more crucial.

DAI alumni write us: 

We would like to ask you to sign this petition in order to show solidarity and if it is possible to convey this message to your colleagues. The website http://www.barisicinakademisyenler.net is hacked unfortunately (..) - but you can read the text at

http://bianet.org/english/human-rights/170978-academics-we-will-not-be-a-party-to-this-crime                                                                                                                                                          
http://factsonturkey.org/24077/academics-researchers-in-turkey-call-for-immediate-end-to-violence-in-kurdish-areas/

And you can sign the petition by sending a mail (stating your name, position and university) to info@barisicinakademisyenler.net

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE DANGEROUS DEVELOPMENTS IN TURKEY: 

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/14/turkish-prosecutors-investigate-academics-criticised-erdogan-petition                                                                                   http://www.todayszaman.com/national_after-erdogan-crime-boss-threatens-academics-who-call-for-peace_409569.html#

TV-interview with David Graeber. January 15, 2016