18.03.2025 23:20
The cancellation of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's university diploma has also been covered by the international press. Reuters reported the development by stating, "It was canceled due to irregularities," while Associated Press wrote, "The university invalidated the diploma of Erdoğan's biggest rival."
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İstanbul University announced that the diploma of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu has been revoked. The university's decision has become a topic of discussion both in the country and around the world.
"CAN PREVENT IMAMOĞLU FROM PARTICIPATING IN THE RACE"
Bloomberg described the recent development as the removal of a figure who could rival President Erdoğan from the political arena. In its report, Bloomberg stated, "İmamoğlu was seen as a strong candidate for the presidency after defeating Erdoğan's supported candidate in the 2019 Istanbul elections. However, the revocation of his university diploma could prevent İmamoğlu from participating in the race."
The report also mentioned, "It is expected that İmamoğlu will file a legal objection, but it was emphasized that the process could extend to the Constitutional Court and take years."
REUTERS ALSO REPORTED
Reuters also announced the decision to revoke İmamoğlu's diploma with the statement, "Istanbul University announced that it revoked the university diploma of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu due to violations of the regulations of the Higher Education Council (YÖK)."
"A POLITICALLY MOTIVATED MOVE"
Associated Press (AP) reported the development as, "The university invalidated the diploma of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a popular opposition figure and the main rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. This decision was evaluated as a politically motivated move aimed at preventing President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan from competing in the next presidential election."
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office had launched an investigation for "forgery of official documents" based on reports that İBB President Ekrem İmamoğlu's bachelor's diploma was fake and findings in the report prepared by the Higher Education Council.
As part of the investigation, İmamoğlu's statement was taken on March 5.
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, in its initial letter sent to the Istanbul University Rectorship, pointed out that in the research report of the Higher Education Council (YÖK), it was indicated that only Eastern Mediterranean University was recognized among the higher education institutions operating in the TRNC during that period.
Considering the correspondence in the report, it was stated that the recognition of foreign higher education institutions was a requirement for horizontal transfer processes, and therefore it was understood that the horizontal transfer processes of the University College of Northern Cyprus (UCNC), which had no recognition, were not conducted in accordance with YÖK decisions by the Dean's Office of the Faculty of Business Administration at Istanbul University.
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office requested the submission of certified copies of all documents related to İBB President İmamoğlu's education at Istanbul University and sought to identify who initiated the acceptance of horizontal transfers on September 12, 1990, and to request the personal identification information of these individuals.
In the letter, it was also requested that the response regarding whether similar horizontal transfer processes were carried out on the dates mentioned in the report on horizontal transfers be sent to the prosecutor's office urgently.
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