Turkish state media reported Tuesday that 15,000 state education employees have been suspended amid a government crackdown following the weekend's failed coup. The attempt by certain factions of the military to overthrow Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which left at least 232 dead, has also led to the ousting of 492 employees from the Religious Affairs Directorate, 257 employees from the prime minister's office, and 100 intelligence officials. Turkey's High Education Board has also reportedly called for all of the country's 1,577 university deans to resign.
The dismissals follow the Turkish government's characterization of the coup plotters as a "cancer" that must be "cleansed" from public institutions. All in all, Reuters reported, "authorities have suspended or detained close to 35,000 soldiers, police, judges, and civil servants," and "shut down media outlets" deemed to be in support of the exiled cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused of inspiring the uprising. Some 6,000 people — 3,000 of them soldiers — have been detained in connection to the coup.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Can Starmer sell himself as the 'tough on immigration' PM?Today's Big Question Former human rights lawyer 'now needs to own the change – not just mouth the slogans' to win over a sceptical public
-
UK-India trade deal: how the social security arrangements will workThe Explainer A National Insurance exemption in the UK-India trade deal is causing concern but should British workers worry?
-
Man arrested after 'suspicious' fires at properties linked to Keir StarmerSpeed Read Prime minister thanks emergency services after fire at his former family home in north London
-
Supreme Court may bless church-run charter schoolsSpeed Read The case is 'one of the biggest on church and state in a generation'
-
Harvard sues Trump over frozen grant moneySpeed Read The Trump administration withheld $2.2 billion in federal grants and contracts after Harvard rejected its demands
-
Harvard loses $2.3B after rejecting Trump demandsspeed read The university denied the Trump administration's request for oversight and internal policy changes
-
USC under fire for canceling valedictorian speechSpeed Read Citing safety concerns, the university canceled a pro-Palestinian student's speech
-
Florida teachers can 'say gay' under settlementspeed read The state reached a settlement with challengers of the 2022 "Don't Say Gay" education law
-
Biden administration to forgive $39B in student loan debt for 800K borrowersSpeed Read
-
Advocacy groups challenge Harvard's legacy admissions policySpeed Read
-
2 Michigan school districts ban backpacks after confiscating 4th gun this yearSpeed Read
