More than 230 people were detained in the morning of 26th November in Türkiye. Those arrested included human rights defenders, journalists, city councillors from opposition parties and trade unionists. Among the trade unionists arrested are 2 members of the health union SES, from the KESK confederation, and Remzi Çalişkan, vice-president of the DISK confederation, president of the PSI/EPSU affiliate Genel-iş and member of the EPSU Executive. Kemal Gőksoy of the Genel-İş Mersin branch was also detained.
They have been arrested for so-called terrorist activities. However, their lawyers have been denied access to the case files. According to observers at a hearing on Friday, the accusations are based on anonymous information from an already-discredited source and demonstrably contradictory claims. These are not fair hearings and there is little hope that any trial will be fair, either. Our colleagues have been remanded and will continue to languish in jail. This is a clear case of harassment for trade union activity of colleagues who have expressed criticism of the Turkish government.
We demand their immediate release, humane treatment and respect for their integrity while in jail, in line with the standards of the Council of Europe. Their lawyers must have full access to all the evidence against them. If the legal process continues, they must receive a fair trial.
PSI will support our colleagues in any way we can, including by raising their case through the ILO. Türkiye is one of the wost violators of trade union rights globally, according to the ITUC’s trade union rights index. The ILO Committee of Experts has made several observations on trade union rights violations in the country in the last 10 years.
The European Commission's report on the progress Türkiye is making towards EU membership notes that there has been no improvement on labour rights, whilst respect for fundamental rights remains a concern.
The solidarity message was adopted 3 and 4 December 2024, Geneva.
For more info, see European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU) https://www.epsu.org/article/turkey-trade-unionists-human-rights-defenders-city-councillors-journalists-arrested
Genel-İş , in Turkish, https://www.genel-is.org.tr/emegin-ve-demokrasinin-savunuculari-genel-baskanimiz-ve-sube-baskanimiz-ozgur-kalana-dek-mucadeleye-devam,2,48369
The Workers' Group of the European Economic and Social Committee [EESC]
https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/news-media/news/solidarity-and-unwavering-support-trade-unions-turkiye
See also, in Turkish, https://kisadalga.net/yazar/12-eylulden-sonra-bir-ilk-remzi-caliskan-neden-tutuklandi-115889