Turkish Authorities Move to Silence Trade Union Leader Mehmet Türkmen

An indictment has been prepared against Mehmet Türkmen, General President of BİRTEK SEN, who was arrested on 16 March on the charge of “publicly spreading misleading information”.
Türkmen was detained because of remarks he made at a press statement he attended in solidarity with Sırma Halı workers in Antep, a city in southern Turkey, who were protesting after not being paid their wages.
The indictment seeks the imposition of a political ban on Türkmen. At the request of textile factory owners in Antep, he was arrested and they now aim to prevent him from carrying out trade union activity by imposing a political ban.
First they jailed a trade unionist for defending workers. Now they are demanding a political ban. If this decision is implemented, the wishes of Antep’s textile bosses will once again have been fulfilled in violation of the right to freedom of association and trade union organising.
Trade unionism is not a crime.
Mehmet Türkmen must be immediately released.