After Istanbul University canceled an event related to East Turkistan, a large number of students organized a protest in front of the rectorate building.
At Istanbul University, a workshop intended for orphaned children from East Turkistan was scheduled to be held on May 16, 2025, as part of the Youth Festival. However, the management canceled the event on May 15, just one day before it was set to take place.
The event, which had been organized by the Humanitarian Aid Club, had received official approval from the university administration one month in advance. Despite this, the Rectorate canceled the event a day before it was scheduled, citing its connection to East Turkistan. In the explanation conveyed to the students, it was stated that “a diplomatic crisis might occur with the Chinese Consulate General.”
Following the cancellation of the event concerning East Turkistan, many students gathered in front of the rectorate building, waving East Turkistan flags and chanting anti-China slogans like “Murderer China, get out of our university,” expressing their criticism of the university’s decision.
Ahmet Nuri Hekim, a student at Istanbul University, made a statement regarding the issue and said that they have requested the Rectorate of Istanbul University to provide an explanation about this matter. He stated that following the protest, they met with the university administration and conveyed their demands.
Hekim also said, “We stated that such an unacceptable situation regarding a matter as sensitive as East Turkistan should not be tolerated at Istanbul University, which is one of the most important universities in Turkey, and that the necessary arrangements should be made to address it.“
The university administration had also previously canceled another event on April 29, 2025, which had been organized by the Humanitarian Aid Club and Young IHH. The event, titled “From Crimea to Sudan, From Gaza to East Turkistan: Human Rights Panel,” was canceled on the grounds that there would be speakers from East Turkistan. The university administration had stated that the program could only proceed if the topic of East Turkistan and the speakers addressing it were removed.
Moreover, during a “Brotherhood Fasten Breaking” program previously organized by student clubs, the university administration had intervened when Palestinian and East Turkistan flags were displayed together and issued a warning that the East Turkistan flag should be removed.
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