Methodology
Archive Standards and Data Methodology
This page transparently documents how data is collected, verified, and classified — serving as a reference for academic and journalistic use of the archive.
Scope
This archive documents institutions closed during the systematic crackdown targeting the Hizmet movement. The process began in 2013 with the law closing private tutoring centers and the appointment of trustees to media outlets; it reached its peak through emergency decree laws (KHKs 667–703) issued after July 15, 2016. Despite different forms of closure, the target was the same.
How did the process unfold?
- arrow_right2013–2014: Law closing tutoring centers; the movement's educational infrastructure was targeted
- arrow_right2013–2016: Courts appointed trustees and seized media outlets and companies
- arrow_rightPost-2016: Mass closures by emergency decree laws, without the right to appeal
Data Sources
Every institutional record is supported by a hierarchical source model. Citing official documents does not mean endorsing them — it means recording the evidence that oppression itself produced. No publication is made without primary sources.
Official Gazette
The official state gazette where decree laws were published. It is evidence that closures occurred — not that they were legitimate.
Court Decisions
Precedents from the Constitutional Court and administrative courts regarding the decree laws.
News Agencies
Reports from AA, Reuters, AP, and local media. Contributes to the chronology of closure processes.
Academic Publications
Peer-reviewed articles and reports examining the state of emergency period and institutional closures.
Institutional Archives
Institutional websites, yearbooks, and publications accessed via web.archive.org.
Community Testimonies
Memories from former students, staff, and family members that have passed through the moderation process.
Verification Protocols
Accuracy is the core principle of the archive. The following steps are applied sequentially for every new record.
Primary source identification
The relevant KHK text or Official Gazette entry is located and linked to the record.
Independent secondary source
At least one secondary source independent of the primary (news agency, academic study) is required.
Conflict check
If sources conflict, the information is flagged as "disputed" and documented with a note.
Editorial review
All new records and updates, including community contributions, are reviewed by an editor before publication.
Classification
Institutions are classified into 10 categories based on their type of activity. For institutions with mixed activities, the primary activity type is used.
University
6
Media
2
School
2
Hospital
1
Association
1
Tutoring Center
1
Figures show the number of registered institutions. Where an institution has multiple branches, branch and location details are documented on the institution page and branch map.
Ethical Framework
The archive is grounded in international standards for documenting human rights.
Privacy
Individual names are not published without the consent of the contributor. Memories can be shared anonymously; email information is kept solely for moderation.
Accuracy
Information that is ambiguous or relies on only a single source is not published. Unverifiable claims have no place in the archive.
Impartiality
The archive is a documentation project; it does not make political commentary. The legal consequences of closure decisions are presented as they are.
Transparency
The sources of every record are clearly listed. Missing or disputed information is clearly communicated to users.
Limitations
Every documentation effort has its limits. Sharing these limitations openly is part of the archive's credibility.
Language constraints
The majority of source texts are in Turkish. Translations into other languages are supported by machine translation and volunteer contributions; nuance may be lost.
Missing coordinates
Geographic coordinates for some institutions are not available in public sources. These institutions are displayed in the list only, not on the map.
Historical gaps
Data such as founding year and student count for some institutions cannot be found in documented sources. These fields are left blank — no estimates are made.
Legal complexity
Some decrees resulted in appeal or partial restitution processes. These multi-layered situations are noted in record annotations, but tracking all proceedings is difficult.
Did you spot missing or incorrect data?
Your contribution makes the archive more accurate.