In March 2012 the Turkish confederation KESK organised a demonstration to protest against the draft Public Services Trade Union law and against proposed changes in the education system.
According to Egitim Sen, Turkish member of EI's European region, the European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), the suggested reform would have a significantly negative impact on education and teaching. The peaceful protests in the streets of Ankara were dispersed by the police who used violence to break up the demonstration. There were harsh police attacks towards people with chemical water and gas bombs that injured several protestors and damaged public property.
Following those clashes the public prosecutor filed complaints against 502 trade union leaders, members and other demonstrators supporting the strike. The first hearing within the trial took place from 13 to 17 January 2014. During these five days 100 people came to the judgment hall in Ankara in order to make their defences. More than about 150 people appeared at local courts to answer the summons of the judges. Due to the fact that all of the 502 people could not make their defences during those days, the court has delayed the hearings to 8-9 April 2014 despite union lawyers’ and defendants’ demand to drop the charges. In solidarity, ETUCE has helped again to organise a strong delegation of international observers to the first hearings in Ankara.
This situation is unreal and the Turkish government’s judicial harassment against trade unionists in Turkey has to stop. The government must not convict people for practicing their legal trade union rights including organising and engaging in peaceful union activities.