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The Turkish forces’ intensified arrests, focusing on accusations related to raising the Turkish flag and teaching the Turkish language, underscore Ankara’s strategic agenda to assimilate occupied territories. The scheme aims to impose veneration of Turkish symbols, dissuading those opposed to the plan.
In an incident yesterday, December 7th, the military police militia in the occupied city of Afrin arrested three teachers from a school in the Bulbul district on charges of removing the Turkish flag from one of the classroom halls.
According to local sources cited by North Press Agency, the Turkish-backed military police militia, arrested three teachers from a school in the central area of Bulbul, transferring them to Hirş Bulbul prison. The arrest was made on charges of the teachers removing the Turkish flag from one of the classrooms.
This arrest coincided with calls from the so-called Free Teachers’ Union to organize protest stands due to the deterioration of the educational process, as stated in their statement. It follows just one day after the visit of the Turkish governor of Hatay to the Yunus Emre Cultural Center in Afrin city.
It’s worth noting that previously, the civilian police militia in occupied Afrin arrested four teachers who resigned from the Yunus Emre Turkish Cultural Institute, protesting against the institute’s methods of promoting Turkish language and culture in the region. A source in the Education Committee of the Local Council of Afrin, stated that the arrests were on charges of undermining the educational and cultural policy pursued by Turkey in the area.
Turkishr authorities have established Yunus Emre centers to disseminate and teach the Turkish language in areas under their control, including Azaz, Al-Bab, Jarablus, and Afrin countryside in Aleppo. On August 31, 2023, a center was inaugurated in the occupied city of Afrin, the second with the presence of the institute’s president. During the opening in Al-Bab, the institute’s president, Sharaf Atesh, stated, “Our main goal is to teach the Turkish language to 300,000 children in the region primarily.”
Turkish authorities had previously arrested individuals who burned the Turkish flag during protests condemning the Turkish Foreign Minister’s statements calling for reconciliation in Syria. Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu announced on August 13, 2022, the arrest of two individuals involved in burning the Turkish flag in Azaz. Soylu tweeted that they arrested (A. Y. H.), who attempted to burn our glorious flag in Azaz, in the Euphrates Shield area, for the purpose of provocation and incitement, and (M. H.), who assisted him for the purpose of incitement and provocation.
