TURKEY has banned all academics from leaving the country, cancelling their annual leave, as President Tayyip Erdogan’s post-coup crackdown escalated to “exceptional proportions,” reports the Daily Telegraph.

Teachers were told last week they could not travel abroad on any work-related trips for the foreseeable future and those currently overseas were ordered to return.

One British academic at a state-run university in Istanbul told the Telegraph that foreign nationals had also been told to come back to work.

“It’s summer break and we’ve all been summoned back to work as all annual leave has been cancelled,” said the teacher, who did not wish to give her name.

The lecturer, who is currently abroad, said both local and international staff received a letter from the university saying they must report for work or face losing their jobs. 

“I was told by the secretary that we have to stay in Istanbul and aren’t allowed to leave, though I have no idea how that would be enforced,” she said, “but as our work permit cards have ID numbers and workplaces written on them, it’s possible.”

The teacher has contacted the British embassy in the country to check whether the move is legal.