50 Turkish academics dismissed from Azerbaijan college

By Ruslan Rehimov

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AA) – Fifty Turkish academics employed at an Azerbaijani university will not have their contracts renewed, it was announced on Wednesday.

According to the rector of state-run Baku Higher Oil School, Elmar Gasimov, the Turkish academics – including professors, department heads and deans – worked at Qafqaz University in the capital, Baku.

Gasimov said that the university has assigned Azerbaijani academics instead of Turkish staff, allegedly linked with the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO).

The Turkish teachers will leave the country by the end of August, he added.

The college was brought under the control of Baku Higher Oil School after the July 15 coup attempt in Turkey.

At least 240 people were martyred in the coup attempt, which the government has said was organized by the followers of Fetullah Gulen, founder of FETO.

Gulen is also accused of leading a long-running campaign to overthrow the Turkish government through the infiltration of state institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary, forming what is commonly known as the parallel state.