As the democratically elected government of Turkey restores order and peace after overcoming the failed illegal coup, the AAA joins the American Association for the Advancement of Science and fellow scientific societies in hoping that the human rights of the scientific community are protected. In a globalized world, the future prosperity and security of any nation depends on its ability to be a knowledge-based, innovative society and to a considerable extent on the work of its scientists, engineers, academics, and researchers.
Turkey has made great progress over the past decade in greatly strengthening its scientific and academic institutions, which are essential for training the next generation and stimulating new innovations that benefit society. Sustaining a high-quality scientific enterprise requires that scientists have freedom to think independently and innovatively and are able, with minimal hindrances, to engage with scientists around the world, including traveling and collaborating in research outside Turkey, in pursuit of excellence in their scientific investigations.
The government of Turkey has stated that “democracy, freedom, and the rule of law are nonnegotiable in Turkey.” We hope that in the pursuit of justice the government will follow through on this pledge to fully respect human rights, the rule of law, and due process and thereby protect its citizens and its scientific community.
