BY HANK REICHMAN

A few days ago, shortly before the failed coup in Turkey that sought to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, I posted an item to this blog, “Attacks on Academic Freedom Continue in Turkey.”  When word of the coup attempt arrived very soon after my post went up, I quickly added an update, in which I wrote that the potential implications of the coup, “successful or not,” were unknown.

Unfortunately, it would appear that the implications for academic freedom of these recent events are far from favorable.  Today the state-run Turkish media has reported that some 15,000 state education employees have been suspended.  In addition, Turkey’s High Education Board has also ordered the resignation of 1,577 deans at all universities, public and private.

The state news agency Anadolu said 399 employees of the Ministry of Family and Social Policies had also been stripped of their responsibilities. The Turkish government has additionally removed 2,745 judges from duty following an emergency meeting of Turkey’s Judges and Prosecutors High Council.