Turkey Voids Work Permits of Over 27,000 Educators Due to Alleged Ties to Gulen

Turkey has canceled the work permits of 27,424 individuals engaged in the educational sector for alleged relation to Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen, who Ankara believes was linked to a recent coup attempt, Turkish Education Minister Ismet Yilmaz said on Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Those deprived of work permit will not be allowed to work in public or private education institutions again, according to the minister.

"Our main principle is that children should not be [Fethullahist Terrorist Organization's] victims. Students from the closed schools will be able to switch to other private schools," Yilmaz told reporters, as quoted by the Diken newspaper.

On July 15, the Turkish authorities said that an attempted coup was taking place in the country, which was suppressed the next day. Over 13,000 people have been detained in connection with the coup. Ankara believes that Gulen and his supporters were seeking to overthrow the current government. The Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO)/Parallel State Structure (PDY), made up of Gulen's supporters, is designated a terrorist organization by Ankara.

Ankara repeatedly stated that Gulen's was "undoubtedly" involved in the coup, while the cleric denies the claims. A number of educational institutions, allegedly related to Gulen, have been closed in Turkey and the neighboring states.