Throughout this month, several hundred Turkish union members will face criminal hearings and possibly years in prison. What was their crime? Exercising their right to freedom of association to organize and participate in strikes and demonstrations opposing government policies.
Even as it is embattled in a corruption scandal that has caused various senior politicians to resign, the ruling party in Turkey continues to use police violence, criminal charges, and the abuse of its own anti-terror laws to intimidate union members and criminalize legitimate union activity.
As we have in the past, the CCU continues to call on the Turkish government to drop the charges against the unionists involved and to immediately cease all violence and intimidation against unionists in the country.
This government’s policy of persecution of unionists and criminalization of union activity must stop. We pledge our solidarity and support to our brothers and sisters in the federations of DISK and KESK, and to all of the Turkish trade union movement. Solidarity forever!
