Erdogan reverses Bilgi University closure decree following protests
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has revoked a mid-year closure order for Istanbul’s Bilgi University, ending a standoff that saw days of student protests and a police crackdown.
Istanbul’s Bilgi University has resumed operations after President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reversed a decree that threatened to shut the institution down mid-year. The decision marks the end of a period of significant tension on campus, which was characterised by sustained student protests and a subsequent police crackdown.
The closure order had loomed over the university, prompting students to organise demonstrations against the potential shutdown. These protests continued for several days, drawing the attention of security forces and leading to a police intervention described in reports as a crackdown.
Following the escalation, President Erdogan personally intervened to overturn the closure decree. The reversal of the administrative order allowed the university to reopen its doors, a move that was met with immediate celebrations among the student body.
The sequence of events highlights the direct impact of executive decision-making on educational institutions in Turkey. The initial decree posed a significant disruption to academic activities, but the rapid reversal following public pressure and security measures has stabilised the situation at this Istanbul-based university.
While the specific details of the police operations and the precise nature of the crackdown remain unelaborated in initial reports, the outcome confirms the restoration of normal operations at Bilgi University. The incident underscores the volatile intersection of student activism, law enforcement response, and presidential authority in the region.
