Turkey coup: Country bans academics from work trips, calls back those over seas

The council asked university rectors to “urgently examine the situation of all academic and administrative personnel linked with FETO” – or the “Fethullah Terrorist Organisation”, as it labels Gulen’s supporters – and report back by August 5.

It also told universities that academics who are already abroad on work or study missions should return home “within the shortest possible time”.

Yesterday, the government suspended 15,200 state education employees and demanded the resignation of almost 1,600 deans from private and state universities over alleged links to Gulen.

Gulen lives in Pennsylvania but retains vast interests in Turkey ranging from media to finance to schools and wields influence in various apparatus including the judiciary and police.