Students protest crackdown on academics in Turkey

Published February 11th, 2017 - 07:00 GMT
University students and academics face Turkish riot policemen during a protest outside a university campus in Ankara on February 10, 2017, against the dismissal of academics from universities following a post-coup emergency decree. (AFP/Adem Altan)
University students and academics face Turkish riot policemen during a protest outside a university campus in Ankara on February 10, 2017, against the dismissal of academics from universities following a post-coup emergency decree. (AFP/Adem Altan)

Academics, students and trade unionists have staged a protest at Ankara University against government purges since Turkey’s failed military coup in July.

On Wednesday 330 academics were amongst 4,400 civil servants summarily stripped of their jobs.

 

Turkey has already removed or suspended more than 125,000 people and formally arrested 40,000 since the attempted coup during which rogue soldiers tried to overthrow the government and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

Veli Agbaba, is from the main CHP opposition:
“Unfortunately, one of Turkey’s long-established universities is under attack. I think they are clearing the path to the referendum The government is trying to silence all opponents.”

It comes as Erdogan has given his official approval for a referendum on constitutional change to go ahead on April 16.

Opponents say the ballot is a power grab by the president to concentrate authority in his office.

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