On Tuesday (15th June 2010) houses and democratic associations in 3 different cities of Turkey (Ankara, Izmir, Istanbul) were raided by the police. 28 people were taken into custody, 17 of them imprisoned.

Following is the report about the arrests and a petition for the freedom of the imprisoned TAYAD-members

 

POLICE ARRESTS IN TURKEY

TAYAD-MEMBER AHMET KULAKSIZ IMPRISONED

ALONG WITH 16 HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS

28 arrests, most of them members of the prisoners family association TAYAD. 

Also TAYAD-member Ahmet Kulaksiz was arrested in his house in Istanbul and transferred to Ankara.

Ahmet Kulaksiz was often invited to political events in Europe. He is member of the Prisoners’ Families Solidarity Association TAYAD and has lost his two young daughters Canan (19) and Zehra (21) during the death fast resistance against the isolation prisons between 2000-2007.

 

Despite of the high price he paid, he never stepped back in the struggle for rights and freedoms.not even an open heart operation, that he had to face 8 months ago, could stop him from continuing his democratic struggle.

 

Now he was arrested, along with 16 other people for participating in democratical, legal activities.He was in the period of recovery when he was arrested. Therefore his health and even life is in danger.

 

Not only Ahmet Kulaksiz but many other TAYAD-members have become target of the state repression.Among the arrested people there’s also the member of the executive committee of the SES/KESK tradion (public services), who was already arrested earlier and then supported by the European trade union federation EPSU.

 

The 17 arrested human rights defenders are accused of organisation membership and propaganda. But they are accused for nothing else than for participating in the funeral of the killed cancer-ill Guler Zere, for participating in commemorations at the graves of revolutionaries and for their support for ill prisoners.Following petition demands the release of the 17 detained people. We ask you to support this campaign and to return the e-mail with your signature… Otherwise, you could send your own protest note and forward us a copy. Please forward this appeal to as many people and organisations as possible.Thanks for your solidarity

 

 

To the Ministry of Justice of Turkey

(Fax: 0090 312 417 71 13, e-mail: sadullahergin@adalet.gov.tr)

To the president of the Turkish parliament

(Fax: 0090 312 420 51 65, e-mail: mehmet.sahin@tbmm.gov.tr)

 

In Ankara and Izmir 17 members of TAYAD have been ARRESTED under the pretext that they had- opposed the murder of ill prisoners in isolation cells- protested against the AKP-government, which is responsible for the murder of exactly 309 prisoners in the years from 2000-2009.- participated in the funeral of the killed cancer-ill Guler Zere.These arrests are unjust, illegitimate and arbitrary.It can’t be seen as a crime to support ill prisoners.I demand the immediate release of the 17 TAYAD-members and an end to isolation.

Name                                 Occupation/Organisation                         Country

 

 

 

 

Who are the arrested TAYAD-members?

       

       Ahmet Kulaksiz            Bayram Sahin                Zeynep Yayla

    

 Ayse Arapgirli Saygin          Mehmet Yilmaz              Meryem Özsögüt 

    

       Semiha Eyilik                  Umut Sener                   Ridvan Akbas

       

          Sahin Imga               Cem Erdeveciler       Seckin Taygun Aydogan

     

      Dursun Göktas                Hakan Yilmaz               Ahmet Alpözel

   

     Özcan Sakinci                Tuncer Gümüs