Protests against police operation against health workers

Labour and democracy organizations staged a demonstration at the KESK headquarters in protest at the detention of the members and executives of the trade union of public employees in health and social services (SES). A banner that read “Our struggle for the right to labour, democracy and health cannot be prevented, release the detainees” was hung in the hall where a statement was made.

SES co-chairperson Hüsnü Yıldırım stated that at a time when the state-mafia relations have been revealed, detention operations against democratic mass organizations aimed at diverting the political agenda have increased.

Yıldırım remarked that the AKP-MHP government did not take adequate measures for the health of the public, especially health workers, during the pandemic, and the government has started to target the prominent health workers as before.

Human Rights Association (IHD) co-chair Öztürk Türkdoğan stated that they could not obtain information about the investigation due to the confidentiality decision and continued, “Some of our friends have serious health problems. You are not interested in people detained with very serious allegations, on the contrary, you are interested in people who defend the rights of the people. Give up your bad habits.”

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Parliamentary Justice Commission member Abdullah Koç said that “we will continue the struggle altogether. We demand that our friends be released immediately. The procedure is unconstitutional.”

Nebiye Merttürk, chair of the People’s Houses, said, “We are all aware of the honourable struggle of the SES. As always, we stand by the SES against the crackdown on opposition, health workers and the whole society. Those who have been arrested should be released immediately.”

ANTALYA

SES Antalya Branch protested the additional payment circular issued by the Ministry of Health and the operation against their unions. SES members gathered in front of the Atatürk State Hospital, carried a banner that read “We do not want additional payments, but a basic wage above the poverty line.” HDP Antalya Deputy Kemal Bülbül also supported the statement. Reading out the press release, SES Antalya Branch co-chair Şükran İçöz condemned the detention of SES members, demanding that the detainees be released.

URFA

SES Urfa Branch also protested the detention of the union members. Speaking at the gathering held at the union building, SES Urfa Branch co-chair Salih Karataş said, “We are going through a time when politics and mafia relations are being revealed. As these dirty relations are exposed, detention operations against labour, democracy and opposition have started to increase.”