EI echoes the call from Public Services International to free Meryem Özsögüt. A member of the executive committee of the Health Workers Trade Union (SES), Özsögüt has been in jail for the past six months for having done nothing more than attend a press conference to denounce the killing of another woman activist, Kevser Mizrak.
Despite several letters from PSI appealing for the release of Meryem Özsögüt, the Turkish government has charged her with "making propaganda in favour of the terrorist organisation." Her trial was originally set for July 9 but was postponed, although other prisoners who were arrested with her have recently been released.
EI and PSI assert that trade unionists must be free to exercise their rights to association and assembly, without fear of discrimination, harassment or intimidation. Therefore EI has written to Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan demanding the immediate release of Meryem Özsögüt. The text of the letter (in English) is below.
For more information, please visit www.world-psi.org
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Brussels, 11 July 2008
Dear Prime Minister Erdogan,
Education International (EI) the Global Union Federation of education unions unites all teacher trade unionists throughout the world.
EI brings to your attention our serious concerns related to the case of Ms. Meryem Özsögüt, a trade unionist, who was arrested following her participation in a press conference to denounce the killing by the police of woman activist, Kevser Mizrak.
Ms. Özsögüt is member of the executive committee of SES (Health Workers Trade Union) and was attending the press conference in that capacity. Further, she received no warning as to implications of attending the press conference. EI believes that she may have been targeted because of her work as a fearless human rights defender. There is no evidence for her being a member of a terrorist group – a response which was given to Public Services International (PSI) who has issued strong protest letters calling for her immediate release.
EI has learned that Meryem Özsögüt is still held in a F-Type prison, meaning a closed environment with isolation units. Her trial was postponed several times although several people who had been arrested at the same time and for the same reasons have been released.
Education International supports the Campaign by PSI calling for an examination of the case of this prisoner who was arrested for the sole reason of attending a press conference. EI respectfully requests your government to release her from custody and to allow trade unionists to gather peacefully and to speak out for workers and human rights.
Sincerely yours,
Fred van Leeuwen General Secretary
CC: Mr Besir Atalay, Minister of Interior Mr Faruk Çelik, Minister of Work and Social Security