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Turkish transport trade unionist freed
17 September 2009
A Turkish trade unionist, held in prison since February, has been released following a court hearing in the Turkish city of Erzurum, but still faces charges for alleged terrorist offences.
Nejat Sezginer, Sivas branch president of the ITF-affiliated transport union, Birleşik Taşımacılık Çalışanları Sendikası (BTS), was released today on condition that he return to court on 5 November. The charges against him, “assisting and supporting a terrorist organisation,” have been rejected worldwide. In total, 14 trade unionists have been indicted, including Onder Dogan, a branch president of the Egitim-Sen teachers’ union, who was arrested along with Sezginer and who remains in prison. The activists and their unions believe that the false accusations are being used to block democratic trade union activities.
On 28 May 2009, the Turkish gendarmerie and police raided the headquarters of Kamu Emekçilerinin Örgütlenme Süreci (KESK), the Turkish confederation of public employees’ unions, in Ankara, as well as KESK local branch offices in Izmir, Istanbul, Van and Manisa. KESK president, Sami Evren, attended today’s hearing. He stressed that the raids and arrests were part of an attack on progressive trade unions in Turkey. In May, more than 30 trade unionists - Hasan Soysal, BTS Izmir branch member among them - were arrested; they also face charges of committing terrorist acts.
Speaking from the court house in Erzurum, ITF inland transport section secretary Mac Urata said: “Of course we’re glad to see Nejat Sezginer freed for now, but the fact that the trials continue is deeply worrying. All the information points to this being a politically motivated show trial. The charges are nonsense and centre on the activities of students who used an office belonging to the Egitim-Sen that was also used by the BTS.”
He added that if the Turkish government was serious about joining the European Union, it should end these practices and drop all charges.
The ITF has issued an action alert to members: www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/turkey09.cfm
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A first court hearing in Erzurum, Turkey, has released a trade...
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