On September 16, 2016, 12 academic personnel from Erzincan University were reportedly detained, based on suspected links to Fethullah Gülen, a Muslim cleric who Turkish authorities have accused of coordinating a violent coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

Following the coup attempt, Turkish authorities declared a national state of emergency, which has been extended repeatedly, and remains in effect as of this report. Authorities allege that members of a movement led by Muslim cleric Fethullah Gülen are behind the coup attempt, and have taken a range of actions against members of the higher education community (among others) which they claim are intended to identify those parties involved, and/or to eliminate the Gülen movement’s influence within Turkish institutions.

Authorities have not disclosed the names of the 12 individuals from Erzincan University, who were detained during coordinated raids at five locations. The detained include professors, research assistants, and lecturers. It is unknown whether any have been released, arrested, or charged as of this report.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the arbitrary detention of academic personnel as part of sweeping actions taken by the State against higher education community members. While State authorities have a right to maintain order and respond to legitimate security concerns, such actions must comply with States’ human rights obligations, including those relating to freedom of association, due process, and academic freedom, which are protected by international human rights instruments including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Turkey is a party. In addition to the harm to the immediate victims, such incidents have a chilling effect on academic freedom and undermine democratic society generally.

Sources: 
https://turkeypurge.com/another-12-academics-detained-over-charges
http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/erzincan-universitesinde-12-akademisyen-gozalt-40224745
http://www.trthaber.com/haber/turkiye/erzincan-universitesinde-fetoden-12-gozalti-271828.html