Broadcast: News items

The Sussex Centre for Conflict and Security Research at the University of Sussex expresses its solidarity with and support for Özcan Keleş, a PhD student in Sussex's interdisciplinary programme in Human Rights.

Özcan has written and spoken widely in the British and international media on current Turkish government policy towards civil society, including towards Hizmet, a civil society movement inspired by the teachings of Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen, of which Özcan is a well-known member in the UK.

Recently, Özcan has become the subject of a co-ordinated harassment campaign. We condemn this harassment, and stand in support of Özcan’s fundamental human right to freedom of speech and expression, and to his right not to be made the object of hate speech and incitement. 

Jan Selby


Professor of International Relations


Director, Sussex Centre for Conflict and Security Research