Turkish rector warns students against walking alone at night: ‘There are vampires’

A Turkish rector has suggested that students walk in pairs at night while outside since “there are vampires.”

This photo shows Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey Prof. Dr. Namık Ak addressing faculty members and students.

Duvar English

The rector of Karamanoğlu Mehmetbey University in the Central Anatolian province of Karaman, has advised students not to walk by themselves at night, saying “There are vampires.” Rector Prof. Dr. Namık Ak made the comments as he addressed the newly enrolled students on the campus.

“I had previously notified the building operation unit about the places (on the campus) that have a lighting problem. I had told them, ‘Lighten up (the campus), but do it so that two lamps (on a street) do not work at the same time.' What is important is that our students can see their path ahead on their way to their dormitory,” he was quoted as saying by Demirören news agency on Oct. 5.

“Our university campus is being monitored via cameras anyway. Be aware of that. Be two people at least. Look, those (students) in the Islamic studies department would know this: When you are going some place, go there at least as a pair and let one person lead (the way) and other person be subject to them. We are all our own masters, but when you go on a trip, go there in pairs; do not be alone. There are many vampires. I come from a place like Istanbul. I stayed in Istanbul 42 years. Like there, there is also vampirism here. Here is as well is not clean as a whistle.”