In support of ‘Academics for Peace,’ more than a hundred academics, including Seyla Benhabib, Noam Chomsky, Nancy Fraser, Fredric Jameson, Steven Pinker, Michael Löwy, Wendy Brown, Bertell Ollman, Warren Montag and Saskia Sassen, have reported themselves to the Attorney General’s Office in Ankara.
This action started with the court's decision to sentence Noemi-Levy Aksu to 30 month of prison and the beginning of the trial of several notable artists and journalists, including Hrant Dink’s son, Arat Dink, for the same ‘offence’ of declaring their support for ‘Academics for Peace.’ In addition, two other professors have received sentences for their support: Füsun Üstel was given 15 months, and Tuna Altinel was targeted because of his participation in a conference abroad. Many academics from all over the world for this reason have chosen to report themselves to the Attorney General’s office as a means of showing support for all the academics who are currently in prison or due to serve time in Turkey.
Their declaration states that “In solidarity with the more than thousand Turkish citizens who supported the Academics for Peace appeal, we decided to sign it also. In solidarity with Naomi Levy-Aksu, we ask to be considered as co-signatories of this document (the Academics for Peace declaration).” Noam Chomsky who has been in solidarity with the academics for peace from the very beginning, explains his thinking.
