Boğaziçi University Presidency Cancels Speech of CHP’s Vice Chair Böke

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Speech of Republican People’s Party (CHP) Vice Chair Assoc. Prof. Dr. Selin Sayek Böke, who was invited to “Boğaziçi Leaders Summit” to be organized by Boğaziçi University Business and Economy Club on March 18-19, has been cancelled upon the instruction of Boğaziçi University President Prof. Dr. Mehmed Özkan.

When assigned to the presidency office, Özkan had pledged to “look after participative, pluralist and libertarian life style”.

bianet contacted the presidency after the news spread, however the presidency said it will not issue an official statement about the matter.

Allegations

According to Kemal Göktaş from Cumhuriyet newspaper, the president cancelled the program “due to the worry that advocating ‘no’ for the presidential system referendum might cause problems”.

Another allegation is that the President said “I cannot allow political figures during the State of Emergency”.

What happened?

Then President Prof. Dr. Gülay Barbarosoğlu had received 86% of the votes in the presidential election held on July 12 at Boğaziçi University, yet, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan didn’t make the appointment for four months.

After the Statutory Decree that lifts the presidential election entered in force, President Erdoğan appointed Prof. Dr. Mehmed Özkan, who didn’t run in the July 12 election, to the office. (CK/EKN/TK)