ABOUT ISA

February 4, 2016

The International Sociological Association (ISA) strongly denounces the unprecedented assault on academics and academic freedom in Turkey. Many Turkish and international scholars signed a petition for peace in the Kurdish regions of the country. However, the Turkish Authority and some public and private universities initiated punitive measures against professors who had signed the Petition, including many sociologists. ISA calls for these authorities to halt all these measures as these constitute a clear violation of academic freedom and freedom of expression. ISA adheres to the article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”