Global Unions: Stop State Violence, Respect Peoples' Rights in Turkey

The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF), International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Association (IUF) and other affiliates will rally outside Sydney’s Turkish consulate to call on the government to put an end to state violence and respect peoples’ rights.

The ITF is calling on all its members to support the ongoing protests in Istanbul’s Taksim Square and throughout Turkey.

"The ITF stands in strong solidarity with our Turkish affiliates taking part in these peaceful rallies and demonstrations in response to the government's heavy-handed actions in cracking down on legitimate protest.” Said ITF President Paddy Crumlin

"Transport workers worldwide believe that building mutual trust based on respecting human rights, including trade union rights, is the only democratic and acceptable way out of this crisis. We call on the government to engage in genuine and constructive dialogue with the protestors. We further call for the trade unionists, journalists and other activists who have been detained or arrested to be released immediately," added Crumlin.

IUF Regional Secretary, Wei Pin Ma called on all affiliated unions to act in defense of human rights and in support of protest actions in Turkey. He said:

"The brutal and bloody attacks by the State apparatus in Turkey to suppress peaceful rallies in recent weeks have been unprecedented in Asia/Pacific in recent times,

“Basic human rights, freedom of expression and assembly must be respected!"

The demands of the action in Sydney are as follows:

• The Government in Ankara should put an end to state violence against peaceful demonstrators and ensure that the right of freedom of expression and assembly is guaranteed in all public areas of Turkey.

• Those responsible for the thousands of injured people and the deaths of Mehmet Ayvalıtaş, Abdullah Cömert, Ethem Sarısülük and Mustafa Sarı should be held accountable, dismissed from their posts and prosecuted before the law.

• Detained citizens who attended the protests across the country should be immediately released with an official statement declaring that there will not be any investigations pursued into them.

• All the legal and practical barriers against the exercise of trade union rights are removed and the right to strike is respected.

• Detained trade unionists, journalists and all others unjustly held for legitimate acts of protests and political opposition should be released immediately. 

Rally Details:

11am

Turkish Consulate

66 Ocean St, Woollahra NSW 2025