Turkish-Armenian Music Instructor Fired as Part of “Gülenist” Purge

ISTANBUL (Agos) — The purge related to the coup attempt has reached to ISMEK. As part of this step, Ari Hergel, who has been working as a guitar teacher is fired. Hergel stated that he is informed about this issue with a phone message that he received on July 22.

Hergel said that he doesn’t know why he was fired, but according to the message, it was assumed that he has some kind of a relation with Fethullah Gülen.

Hergel talked about his situation: “In the message they had sent me, it was written that I have some kind of a relation with Fethullah Gülen. However, I couldn’t have found out what is the ground of this assumption; there is no information or document indicating such a relation.”

Guitar teacher Hergel said that many other people have been fired due to same reason: “When I went to get the original copy of the notice, I came across many co-workers who have received the same notice. People were trying to explain themselves and writing petitions.”

Hergel stated that he will take legal action for stopping this unjust process: “My situation is not that important given the overall injustice that people have been subjected to. I am able to afford my living in the absence of my income from ISMEK. However, there are senior educators, the ones whose only income was from ISMEK, the ones who have only months left for retirement; the situation is more crucial for them. For me, the important thing is to clear the aspersions that is casted upon us and to stop this unjust process if I can.”