HÜDA PAR Chairman Zekeriya Yapıcıoğlu has strongly criticized an incident at Yeditepe University's Faculty of Law graduation ceremony in which several students and academics reportedly attempted to prevent a student from displaying a banner bearing a verse from the Holy Quran.

The banner featured the Quranic verse, "Emrolunduğun gibi dosdoğru ol" ("Be upright as you have been commanded"), a passage that calls on believers to remain steadfast and upright in faith and conduct.

According to reports, some participants at the graduation ceremony sought to obstruct the banner from being displayed, prompting widespread reactions on social media and among religious circles.

Reacting to the incident, Yapıcıoğlu condemned what he described as an act of intolerance toward the public expression of Islamic values.

In a statement shared on his social media account, the HÜDA PAR leader drew parallels between the incident and historical attempts to silence the message of the Quran.

"They attempted to put up a curtain in front of the verse 'Be upright as you have been commanded.' Their predecessors did something similar," Yapıcıoğlu said.

He cited verses from Surah Fussilat, recalling the words attributed to those who rejected the Quran:

"Do not listen to this Quran, and make noise while it is being recited, so that you may prevail." (Fussilat, 26)

Yapıcıoğlu added that every individual acts according to their own character and concluded his remarks by quoting another verse from the same chapter:

"And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah, does righteous deeds, and says, 'Indeed, I am of the Muslims'?" (Fussilat, 33)

The HÜDA PAR chairman said the incident reflected a troubling intolerance toward expressions of religious belief in academic settings, arguing that displaying a verse from the Quran should be respected as an exercise of freedom of expression and freedom of religion.

The episode has reignited debate in Türkiye over the place of religious symbols and Islamic values in public life, with many social media users expressing solidarity with the student and criticizing attempts to prevent the display of a Quranic message.

The incident has also prompted renewed calls from various religious and civil society groups for greater respect toward expressions of faith and for university campuses to remain spaces where individuals can freely practice and express their religious beliefs without discrimination or obstruction. (ILKHA)