Struggle for the Freedom of Taksim Prisoners Continues!
6 people have lost their life due to police violence following the Taksim resistance which started at the end of May in Gezi Park and continued throughout June. 8160 people were injured (64 of them critically). The police shoot tear gasses and plastic bullets by targeting the peoples’ head. 12 people have lost their eyesight because of being hit by tear gas capsules.
The police rained tear gasses on the closed places, houses, workplaces, parks, underground stations, infirmaries and treatment centres. They mixed chemicals with the pressured water that they have squirted on to the resisting people. They have used torture and sexual abuse against detainees.
The struggle for the release of Taksim prisoners continues in Turkey and Europe.
Paris: The campaign for freedom of Taksim prisoners continued last week in Paris through putting up posters on to the walls, petition stands, and distribution of leaflets in workplaces and cafe houses.
Lausanne: Immigrant Workers’ Federation in Switzerland (IGIF), a supporter organisation of the campaign, and the Socialist Women’s Union have distributed leaflets in the city, gave information to the people in the stalls, and collect signatures for the release of the prisoners.
Families are in Europe
The families of Ethem Sarisuluk, Ali Ismail Korkmaz, Medeni Yildirim and Abdullah Comert, who came to Europe in order to participate in various events under the initiative of Alınteri ve Yaşanacak Dünya newspapers and support by Germany Democratic United Front, spoke about their ordeal in many panels. They were in Strasbourg on 10 October in order to cary their struggle to the European Court of Human Rights. The families, who also attended many TV programmes, have met with people during a night event in Cologne on 19 October. Here they said that they will continue to search for justice for the people who killed during Taksim resistance.
Some of the Court dates for the Taksim Prisoners:
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1 November 2013 - Izmir
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11 November 2013 - Adana
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19 November and 29 November 2013 - Adana
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And on 28 October 2013, there will be the second hearing of the trial where the killer police officer of the Ethem Sarisuluk will be heard in Ankara Court House.
It is important to show international attendance to the courts in order take side with the prisoners and their families.
The struggle of the families for the freedom of Taksim prisoners is continuing in Turkey.
Istanbul: The Platform of the Families of Gezi Resistance Prisoners has come together 16th times in Galatasaray Square. During the action, families have carried the pictures of their loved ones and opened banners reading: "Freedom for the Gezi Prisoners”, “Gezi prisoners, martyrs and veterans are our honour”. The families who spoke during the action talked about the repression that prisoners face and demand their immediate release.
Izmir: The actions of the Platform of the Families of Gezi Resistance Prisoners in Izmir are also continuing.
International Actions for the Taksim Prisoners on 12 September
There have been many actions and demonstrations organised on “12 September, the day of international solidarity with the Taksim prisoners” from Kenya to Nepal, Tunisia to Spain and Bulgaria, and the people’s uprising in Turkey was also greeted through messages of support.
On the day, when the people in Turkey took to the streets in order to protest the killing of Ahmet Atakan, many people in different countries have also shouted the slogan of “Freedom to Taksim Prisoners” in their home countries.
Tunisia: Freedom to Political Prisoners!
In Tunisia, progressive left parties and the Patriotic Socialist Revolutionary Party (PSRP-Watad) have organised a demonstration in front of the Turkish Embassy. They shouted “Freedom to Political Prisoners”, “Rebellion, Revolution, Freedom” during the demo. They have opened a banner reading “Freedom to Taksim Prisoners”.
They demanded the release of ESP members, who are in prison due to Gezi resistance, and of all political prisoners who are currently held in Turkish jails.
Madrid Defended the Taksim Prisoners
In many cities of Spain such as Castellón, Valencia, Mallorca Nafarroa Donosti, Madrid, Vallekas Barajas Hortaleza, and Pozuelo Madrid Centro Leganés, the walls are carrying the messages of solidarity with the prisoners of Gezi resistance and the Kurdish people.
In has been reported that the messages such as “Freedom to political prisoners in Turkey”, “Madrid is on the side of Taksim revolutionaries - RC”, Castellon is together with the martyrs of Taksim”, “Solidarity with the Taksim revolutionaries”, and “Long live the struggle of Kurdish people” were written on the walls by the Reconstruction Party of Spain(RC).
Picket in Sofia
A picket in front of the Turkish Embassy in Sofia was organised on the day of “International Solidarity with the Taksim Prisoners”. The picket was called by the Communist Party of Bulgaria.
During the picket, the attacks against the resisting people in Turkey by the police protested and the immediate release of Taksim prisoners was demanded. The participants have also protested the latest police brutality and the killing of Ahmet Atakan.
Slogans of Solidarity on the Streets of Serbia
Partıja Rada (Workers Party) has organised a march to Turkish Embassy on 12 September. They shouted the slogan of “People’s resistance cannot be stopped”.
In the statement read out in front of the Turkish Embassy, Partija Rada said: “Pro-fascist Turkish regime is making plans to strangle the voice of people. The prisons are full of political prisoners. Many of them are given years of sentencement and every effort against the regime counted as a terrorist crime. But the peoples’ resistance is growing day by day”.
Support from CARC in Italy
In its statement, Internation Bureau of CARC (Solidarity Committees with the Resistance-Communism) in Italy has declared their participation to the day of international solidarity with the Taksim prisoners. CARC stated that the people’s uprising in Turkey represents the most recent important example of people’s resistance and solidarity in the world.
A letter of protest to Turkish Embassy in Kenya
In Kenya, Gacheke Gachihi on behalf of Unga Revolutionary Movement, Benedict Wachira on behalf of Kenya Social Democrat Party (Marxist-Leninist) and Mungai Mbuthi on behalf of Social Movements – Freedom to Political Prisoners have sent a letter of protest to Turkish Embassy in Nairobi. They have condemned the attacks of the Turkish state on the people and saluted the people’s uprising.
Solidarity Message from Nepal
In the message, Bishnu Hari Nepal, member of Nepal Communist Party– Maoist (NKP-M) International Office have stated “we extend our solidarity greetings because of 12 September, the day of international solidarity with the Taksim prisoners. Our party demands the release of all political prisoners who have been imprisoned without any legal basis.”
