TASSA Condemns Police Brutality
The Turkish American Scientists and Scholars Association (TASSA) Board of Directors and Executive Committee members have been following the recent tragic events developing at Taksim Square with great concern. Watching police brutality over young bodies, hearing frustrations of young men and women, and seeing bodies flown around by water cannons tear our hearts from thousands of miles away.
Attacking young people with tear gas and water cannons at Gezi Park cannot be justified. We condemn this police brutality and urge authorities to bring to justice those who exercised unnecessary and unwarranted force.
Those young people who stand strong in front of police tear-gas bombs and water cannons are the future of the Turkish Republic. They are the young brains who will carry our beloved country to the next level. We should never forget that they are our future scientists, scholars, lawyers, businessmen and women, doctors, and teachers. We should never forget that they are expressing frustration. We should never forget that they are exercising their democratic rights. We should never forget that those people who walked to Taksim Square also want a better future for the Turkish Republic. Therefore, let's treat them with respect, with care, and dignity. Let's hear their concerns and ideas and make them contribute to the process.
We must do it because they are part of the future of the Turkish Republic.
TASSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Prof. Hüseyin Abut, Prof. Turgay Ertekin, Prof. Murat Günel, Dr. Orhan Gürbüz,
Prof. Șebnem Kalemli-Özcan, Prof. Aydoğan Özcan, Prof. Fusun Özgüner,
Prof. Mehmet Toner, Prof. Haluk Ünal (president)
TASSA EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Prof. Hasan Ayaz, Dr. Levent Güntay, Tugba Güntay, Dr. Nilay Papila, Aylin Sagay,
Prof. Refik Soyer, Prof. Candan Tamerler,
For Information on TASSA www.tassausa.org