Hacked by extremists
The website belonging to Kurdisk Studentforening i Norge (KSFN), a Kurdish student union in Norway, was attacked by Turkish far-right nationalists last week.
We do not allow traitors to oppose Turkish interests, read the message from the Turkish hacking group Ay Yildiz Team, who claim to be «fighting for the interests of Turkey as a whole».
– We can prove that this group is behind the hacking, and we have reported the matter to the police, Araz Dara, board member of KSFN, confirms.
The proof is an IP address in the website’s log that ties Ay Yildiz Team to the hacking. The attack was also confirmed on the hackers` own website, www.ayyildiz.org.
The student union, which is the social scene for Kurdish students, protests against violation of Kurdish rights. The management is currently gutted by the fact that the hackers erased information, and left the union’s most important source of information dead. They think it is terribly sad that Turkish fractions regard them as enemies.
– Weak freedom of speech
– We have nothing against Turkish authorities or ethnic minorities, leader of KSFN Chalak Darbandi says, and underlines that the fight for dialogue and freedom of speech must be in the interest of all Turks.
The union has never experienced anything like this before.
– It seems hopeless to get a constructive debate going when such things occur, Darbandi says.
The union believes that the attack can be seen in light of the controversy around the Kurdish satellite channel Roj-Tv in Denmark. Turkish and American authorities have put pressure on Denmark to shut down the channel, which they believe is broadcasting terrorist propaganda. KSFN is among those that have protested against this. They have sent letters to Danish and Norwegian authorities.
56 city council chairmen from Kurdish areas in Turkey have protested against the authorities` stand in the matter. That is no walk in the park:
– Turkish authorities have now charged all of them. Freedom of speech is still in a very weak position in Turkey, Darbandi says.
Denmark has not buckled under pressure so far.
Reacts strongly
Maria Veie Sandvik, leader of the Student Parliament, reacts strongly to the hacking.
– We cannot be silent bystanders in this matter, Sandvik says, who has contacted KSFN after Universitas made her aware of the situation. She is now calling for measures to be taken.
– The Rector should voice his support in order to clarify the conundrum this group is in, Sandvik says, and adds that she would like to bring this issue up during the upcoming Rector meeting.
Rector at UiO, Geir Ellingsrud, thinks the affair is regrettable.
– Freedom of speech is something I aspire to defend, Ellingsrud says.
Neither Politiets Sikkerhetstjeneste (PST), a special investigation unit directly under the Ministry of Justice, nor Oslo District Police wish to comment on single issues to Universitas.
