“I am a forced exile”, academic Tuna Altinel can no longer use his passport in Turkey
While Tuna Altinel had recovered his passport following a favorable decision of the administrative court, the Turkish state appealed. The Court of Appeal has just overturned the decision taken at first instance. The scholar can no longer use his passport in Turkey.
A request before the Constitutional Court of Turkey is the only recourse left to Tuna Altinel to have the possibility of using his passport in Turkey.
His company, his family will have to come to France to see Tuna again, the academic has become persona non grata in his son pays.
In June 2020, the lecturer at Lyon 1 University found himself imprisoned by the Turkish regime.
In France, in Lyon, his colleagues, his students mobilized and a committee was created to demand his release.
Imprisoned for having participated in a meeting on the Kurds in France, Tuna Altinel was prosecuted for “belonging to a terrorist organization”.
He then remained on bail on Turkish soil where his trial began in July 2020.
Acquitted by the Turkish courts, Tuna was forced to stay in Turkey.
After staying 2 years in Turkey, Tuna Altinel was finally able to return to France and regain her chair of mathematics in Lyon when her passport was returned to her.
On the other hand, he no longer has the right to use it, at least to return to Turkey. Turkey’s highest court must rule on this decision.
“I am a forced exile” explains the professor.
His lawyer is preparing a request for the Constitutional Court, before seizing the European Court of Human Rights.