Response from Istanbul University to the proposal to cancel İmamoğlu's diploma

DEM Party member Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu submitted a parliamentary question to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey, requesting an answer from the Minister of National Education Yusuf Tekin regarding the cancellation of the diploma of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

According to the news by Sarp Sağkal from Cumhuriyet, Minister Tekin directed the proposal to the Council of Higher Education (YÖK). YÖK then transferred the proposal to Istanbul University, which carried out the cancellation process. The Istanbul University Rectorate, which responded to the proposal under the name of Rector Osman Bülent Zülfikar, claimed that the diploma cancellation process was carried out in accordance with the Higher Education Law. When asked why this process was carried out 31 years after İmamoğlu graduated, the rectorate stated that “the diploma was examined based on the letters written within the scope of the investigation launched upon the complaints received by the YÖK and the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the CİMER applications.”

'CONCRETE EVIDENCE' WAS NOT SHARED

The motion addressed the expressions “absence” and “clear error” in the diploma cancellation decision, which is also the subject of the Istanbul 5th Administrative Court’s trial today, and asked, “On what concrete evidence are these concepts based?” Rector Zülfikar responded to this question by saying, “These expressions have been based on evidence obtained as a result of research and examinations conducted meticulously on all student files, relevant board decisions and other details.” However, this “concrete evidence” was not shared in the motion response. Zülfikar also responded to the comments regarding the diploma cancellation as “a political and arbitrary decision” in his response to the motion by saying, “Unsubstantiated and evidence-free claims are not true.”

CANDIDACY COMMENT BEFORE THE YSK

On the other hand, Gergerlioğlu from the DEM Party also asked in his motion, “Could the cancellation of İmamoğlu’s diploma affect his right to continue his public duty and to run for election?” The response from the Rectorate to this question was, “In cases where higher education graduation is required, this condition will not be met.” The Rectorate commented on the risk of these and similar decisions harming the administrative autonomy of universities with the following statements: “In legal disputes, since the procedures to be established are made independently of the interpretations to be made by the parties in favor and against, and since the party against is free to take legal action in any case, as long as there is no unlawfulness in terms of the elements of the procedures carried out, there is no risk of harm in any respect.”

Source: NEWS CENTER