<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Liebe Kolleg*Innen,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">wir möchten Sie auf die Stellungnahme der ‚Presidents and Chairs of Professional Associations on ‚International Studies‘regarding the Prosecution of Academics in Turkey‘ hinweisen.</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Mit besten Grüßen</div><div class="">Simone Claar für das AK Sprecher*Innen Team</div><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br class=""></p><div class=""><b class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class=""><br class=""></span></b></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class=""><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Public Statement<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">of the Presidents and Chairs of Professional Associations on <br class="">“International Studies”</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class=""><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><b class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">regarding the Prosecution of Academics in Turkey<o:p class=""></o:p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class=""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">18 January 2016<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">As leaders of associations that represent academics and analysts of international studies, we are deeply concerned about the </span><span lang="EN-GB" class=""><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/15/turkey-rounds-up-academics-who-signed-petition-denouncing-attacks-on-kurds" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">reaction of the Turkish government</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class=""> and police to the </span><span lang="EN-GB" class=""><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://bianet.org/english/human-rights/170978-academics-we-will-not-be-a-party-to-this-crime" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">public statement signed by Turkish and international academics</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class=""> on the situation in Southeastern Turkey last week. While we condemn any form of political violence, we insist that academics must have the right to express their political views freely and without having to fear for their jobs or personal freedom.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">We call upon the Turkish authorities to stop the prosecution of our colleagues and ask university administrations to respect the right to free speech and academic freedom. Turkey is an important partner in our joint efforts to better understand how “a more peaceful, more socially inclusive world” can be realized – a key aim of the “</span><span lang="EN-GB" class=""><a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://www.unaoc.org/who-we-are/" style="color: rgb(149, 79, 114);" class=""><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Alliance of Civilizations</span></a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">” which President Erdogan has co-sponsored. Free academic debate is an essential prerequisite to foster such understanding. We hope that it can continue to flourish in Turkish universities as well.<o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class=""> </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Professor Gunther Hellmann<br class=""><i class="">Executive Secretary, World International Studies Committee (WISC)</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Professor Thomas Diez<br class=""><i class="">President, European International Studies Association (EISA)</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Professor Stefano Guzzini<br class=""><i class="">President, Central and Eastern European Studies Association (CEEISA)<o:p class=""></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Professor Nicola Phillips<br class=""><i class="">Chair, British International Studies Association (BISA)<o:p class=""></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Professor Tuomas Forsberg<br class=""><i class="">Chair, Nordic International Studies Association (NISA)</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Professor Stephan Stetter<br class=""><i class="">Chair, IR Section, German Political Science Association</i><o:p class=""></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Professor Rafael<i class=""> </i>Velázquez<i class=""> <br class="">President, Mexican International Studies Association (MISA)<o:p class=""></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 8pt; line-height: 15.693333625793457px; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 17.1200008392334px; font-family: Constantia, serif;" class="">Dr Alberto Sepúlveda Almarza<br class=""><i class="">President, Asociación Chilene de Especialistas Interacionales (ACHEI)</i></span></p></div></body></html>