Turkey Revokes Operating License of Istanbul Bilgi University Amid Criminal Probe

 

Turkey Revokes Operating License of Istanbul Bilgi University Amid Criminal Probe

By presidential decree, the Turkish government has officially revoked the operational license of Istanbul Bilgi University, effectively forcing the closure of the institution. The decision follows a state seizure linked to an ongoing criminal investigation into the university's operating foundation and its owner, Can Holding. The closure order for the liberal-leaning independent university was issued in the middle of the academic period, directly affecting a student body of over 20,000 domestic and international students.

Sources:

• Reuters: Turkey revokes licence for university seized by state in criminal probe

• Dawn: Turkiye's Erdogan shuts Istanbul Bilgi University seized by state in criminal probe

• Euronews: Erdoğan signs decree closing Istanbul's Bilgi University amid criminal probe into owner

• The Times of Israel: Turkey's Erdogan orders closure of liberal-leaning Istanbul university

57 Detained in Raids Targeting Istanbul Municipality Subsidiary

 

57 Detained in Raids Targeting Istanbul Municipality Subsidiary

Turkish police have carried out simultaneous raids across multiple provinces, resulting in the detention of 57 suspects. The operation, which spanned Istanbul, Adana, Bursa, Diyarbakır, Konya, and Yalova, targeted a subsidiary of the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. According to reports, the detainees include several high-ranking municipal officials. This marks the latest in a series of sweeping probes directed at local municipal operations by law enforcement authorities.

Sources: Xinhua | Turkish Minute | Stockholm Center for Freedom