A Cambridge academic has spoken to Varsity about how they feel unable to return home for fear that the Turkish government will arrest them because they had signed a petition critical of the regime.

This academic is just one of 1,127 signatories – from 89 universities across the world – who have each been threatened with criminal investigations from the Turkish government.

The Turkish authorities are reportedly seeking to charge the academics over ‘insulting the Turkish nation’ and ‘advocating for terrorism’, both of which are listed as offences within the Turkish penal code. If convicted, each academic could face between one and five years in prison.

The petition, under the title ‘Academics for Peace’, voiced criticism of continuing government violence against Kurds in the country, and was said to have “angered” President Erdogan.

Erdogan’s government have defended their military campaign on the grounds that it is targeted against a militant left-wing Kurdish group. However, The Washington Post has alleged that the military are perpetrating “direct and indirect violence against [Kurdish] civilians.”

In an address on Tuesday last week, President Erdogan said that Turkey must challenge the “treason” from these “so-called academics”, whom he described as “ignorant and dark.” He also called on universities to punish these “traitors”.

Following the address, 42 universities are thought to have complied by suspending or firing 109 people. The BBC reports that, as of Monday, state prosecutors have detained “at least” 18 academics. Reuters have suggested that the number of academics arrested may be higher than that figure.

A pro-government newspaper has published the names of the petition’s signatories, prompting a convicted criminal to issue death threats to the academics, saying he would “let [their] blood in streams” and “take a shower in [their] blood”.

Speaking to Varsity, a Cambridge academic who signed the petition said that they have had to cancel their plans to return to Turkey because they “could be detained entering the country and/or barred from leaving.”

They continued by saying that they “know many academics who signed the petition”, and that “the ones in Turkey are facing prison, firing, physical harassment or worse.”

They added that academics in the country have “probably committed career suicide” by protesting against the government’s actions against the Kurds, and that there have been reports of “academics’ doors being marked and other acts of intimidation, unfortunately in some cases from colleagues and students.”

While describing this as not uncommon behaviour for the Turkish government, they added that the “blanket targeting of 1,128 people [and]incitement to lynching for just signing a petition for peace is a new low.”

Over 1,000 UK academics have issued another petition in response, stating that they are “extremely disturbed by Turkey’s recent treatment of academics that have spoken out against atrocities being committed by the Turkish state against Kurds.” Similar petitions have been organised in the USA, Canada and Germany.

Offering their support to the academics involved, the Middle East Studies Association, the British International Studies Association, and the Central European International Studies Association, amongst others, have all released letters condemning the Turkish government. The American Anthropological Association, writing to Turkey’s Prime Minister, said they wished to “express [their] grave concern” over the growing “public atmosphere of intimidation and threats against academics.”

Turkey currently ranks 149th out of 180 countries in the World Press Freedom Index. Erdogan has faced significant protests and opposition in recent years, despite winning the 2014 Presidential election with over 50 per cent of the vote.