President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's decision, published in the Official Gazette Saturday, says law and communications faculties are to be launched in Bogazici University. Critics say the establishment of new departments would allow the presidentially appointed rector to staff them with government loyalists.
In an open letter to Erdogan, protesting Bogazici students called the decision to open new departments intimidation and "petty tricks." Police have detained hundreds of demonstrators at the university and in solidarity protests elsewhere, some taken away following raids of their homes. Most were later released.
Officials from the United States, the United Nations and the European Union have criticized Turkey's handling of the protests as well as a series of homophobic comments that were made by Erdogan and other officials while denouncing the demonstrations.
Students: 'What do we want?' 'Something' 'When do we want it?' 'Sometime'