Private universities whose staff criticise Turkey¡¯s government could be shut down under new laws, academics have warned.

The new powers for Turkey's Higher Education Board (Y?K) give it the authority to close private universities ¡°that have become a focal point for activities against the state¡¯s indivisible integrity¡±,? newspaper has reported.

¡°There can be no criticism coming from private universities any more,¡± said Sedat La?iner, a former rector of ?anakkale 18 Mart University (?OM?) and professor of international relations.

¡°Unfortunately, after being given the power to harass universities, Y?K has now been given the power to close them down entirely,¡± he told Today's Zaman.

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Professor La?iner was removed from his post as the rector in April and moved to a faculty 100km from ?anakkale as a form of punishment for criticising the government, he claims.

¡°Professors are having lawsuits piled up against them, or being fired from their jobs,¡± said Professor La?iner, who added it was clear that President Recep Tayyip Erdo?an was behind the attacks.

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The new regulation was also branded an attack on free speech by Ertu?rul K¨¹rk?¨¹, one of the founding members of the pro-Kurdish Peoples¡¯ Democratic Party (HDP).

He told Today's Zaman that the government¡¯s move to allow Y?K to be able to close universities was nothing but ¡°banditry¡±.

¡°This is nothing but part of the plan to attack all of the values of the public,¡± he said.

¡°This regulation is an assault on education, culture and free public platforms using political force; it is banditry,¡± he said.

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Concerns about the new regulation follow a court decision in October to seize the management of companies owned by Koza ?pek Holding ¨C including television stations µþ³Ü²µ¨¹²Ô TV and Kanalt¨¹rk and the µþ³Ü²µ¨¹²Ô and Millet daily newspapers ¨C on charges of supporting the Hizmet movement, run by US-based Islamic preacher Fethullah G¨¹len. The company also owns ?pek University, in Ankara.

Some 17 private universities were recently accused by a pro-government columnist of not doing enough to combat the G¨¹len movement, whose alleged members have faced criminal investigations instigated by Mr Erdo?an¡¯s AK Party.

?jack.grove@tesglobal.com