This is a real reminder to resist authoritarian moves, early and often, before they become too strong and quotidian. Scholarship and respect for cultural heritage should never be targeted, particularly at such a personal level. To charge an open-minded public administrator with “terrorism” is truly outrageous. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
This is so sad. People that cry about dictatorship when their post is being flagged as fake news have no idea how real dictatorships work and what it's like to being jailed just for speaking out your opinion.
Something to understand about Erdogan. If he could resurrect a new Ottoman Empire (caliphate) he would do so. He is a Muslim, and an ardent adherent to Islamic ideology to the detriment of secular Turks. He has imprisoned and/or disappeared thousands of Turkish citizens who oppose turning the clock back to an Islamic Theocracy.
Thank you for drawing attention to this. It is deeply sad that this is, whilst shocking, unsurprising news. Intellectuals and especially historians are always going to be some of the first people to be persecuted under authoritarian power structures. As a student of Byzantium this concerns me greatly, and I'm going to begin investigating what I can do to raise awareness in my department.
It is appalling. I believe - though not certain - that he was transferred to house arrest due to pressure from an outside group, so lobbying can work. There is some more information below:
This is a real reminder to resist authoritarian moves, early and often, before they become too strong and quotidian. Scholarship and respect for cultural heritage should never be targeted, particularly at such a personal level. To charge an open-minded public administrator with “terrorism” is truly outrageous. Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
And it is always the scholars and free thinkers who fall under the jackboot, of course...
This is so sad. People that cry about dictatorship when their post is being flagged as fake news have no idea how real dictatorships work and what it's like to being jailed just for speaking out your opinion.
Something to understand about Erdogan. If he could resurrect a new Ottoman Empire (caliphate) he would do so. He is a Muslim, and an ardent adherent to Islamic ideology to the detriment of secular Turks. He has imprisoned and/or disappeared thousands of Turkish citizens who oppose turning the clock back to an Islamic Theocracy.
Yes quite so - IIRC he imprisoned a great many Turkish journalists several years ago.
Thank you for drawing attention to this. It is deeply sad that this is, whilst shocking, unsurprising news. Intellectuals and especially historians are always going to be some of the first people to be persecuted under authoritarian power structures. As a student of Byzantium this concerns me greatly, and I'm going to begin investigating what I can do to raise awareness in my department.
It is appalling. I believe - though not certain - that he was transferred to house arrest due to pressure from an outside group, so lobbying can work. There is some more information below:
https://artdogistanbul.com/en/mahir-polat-placed-under-house-arrest/