The Turkish Ministry of Education has canceled the teaching licenses of an additional 1,272 people who work for private education companies on suspicion of use of a smart phone application known as ByLock.
According to a state-run Anadolu news agency report, the Ministry of Education has investigated some 27,000 private education companies working under the General Directorate of Private Educational Institutions.
The licenses of 20,932 people who work for private education companies have thus far been revoked by the Turkish government, Anadolu reported.
Turkish authorities believe ByLock is a communication tool among followers of the Gülen movement, which is accused by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government of orchestrating a failed coup on July 15, 2016, a claim the movement denies.
Turkey has suspended or dismissed more than 150,000 judges, teachers, police and civil servants since July 15 through government decrees issued as part of an ongoing state of emergency declared after the coup attempt.
The Justice Ministry announced on July 13 that 169,013 people have been the subject of legal proceedings on coup charges since the failed coup.
A total of 62,895 people were detained in 2017 as part of investigations into the movement, according to Interior Ministry reports.
Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu on Jan. 5 said 48,305 people were jailed in 2017 alone over Gülen movement links.
Soylu said on Dec. 12 that 55,665 people have been jailed and 234,419 passports have been revoked as part of investigations into the movement since the failed coup.
Soylu on Nov. 16 had said eight holdings and 1,020 companies were seized as part of operations against the movement.