The system makes it more difficult for vocational school graduates to enroll in a program of their choice. The ruling, which blocks a decision made by the Higher Education Board's (YÖK) General Council to reduce the coefficient to 0.13 and 0.15 instead of the previous 0.3 and 0.8, came after the İstanbul Bar Association challenged it in court. A large number of organizations joined yesterday's demonstration, chanting slogans against the court ruling and also protesting the İstanbul Bar Association.
Members of the Freedom Association (Özgür-Der), the Association of Human Rights and Solidarity for Oppressed Peoples (MAZLUM-DER) and the Education Personnel Labor Union (Eğitim Bir-Sen) gathered in front of the Galatasaray High School in Taksim and walked toward the İstanbul Bar Association while chanting slogans and carrying placards.
“The Council of State can only rule for a stay of execution, it cannot rule to stop our march for equality and justice,” “The pro-coup bar association must account for its actions,” “The İstanbul Bar Association is the choir of the junta,” “No to Council of State coup” and “The judicial oligarchy cannot take the will of the nation hostage” read some of the placards carried by the protestors.
Özgür-Der head Rıdvan Kaya, who addressed the crowd, said the Council of State ruling will be condemned by all in the future just like the racist practices of the South African apartheid regime. MAZLUM-DER’s Elif Uzunpınar, a lawyer, said the Council of State ruling lacked any legal foundation.
