BİRTEK SEN General President Mehmet Türkmen arrested

BİRTEK SEN General President Mehmet Türkmen gave his statement at the police station after being detained at the union headquarters yesterday (February 16). After his procedures were completed, Türkmen was referred to the prosecutor's office in the morning. Following his interrogation by the prosecutor, Türkmen was referred to the court on charges of 'violation of the freedom to work' and 'incitement to commit a crime' and was arrested by the judge.

During the protest, a boss scolded Türkmen, saying, 'You are a man chasing after someone who doesn't have enough.' Türkmen replied to the individual, 'You think everyone is like yourselves.'

Türkmen was detained on February 14 on charges of 'violation of the freedom to work' and 'incitement to commit a crime'. After his first interrogation on Friday, he was released, but on Sunday, he was detained once again by the police for questioning and referred to the Prosecutor's Office.

It was stated that after the bans imposed by the governor's office following the protests held against low wages in the Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone, Türkmen was detained and released on February 14. Türkmen, who was detained again yesterday evening, gave his statement on charges of 'violation of the freedom to work' and 'incitement to commit a crime'. The court ruled that Türkmen should be tried while in custody.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Türkmen was referred to the prosecutor's office after his procedures at the police station were completed. Within the scope of the investigation, he was asked questions regarding his social media posts. Türkmen gave his statement at the police station after being detained at the union headquarters yesterday. After his procedures were completed, Türkmen was referred to the prosecutor's office in the morning.

It was stated that after the bans imposed by the governor's office following the protests held against low wages in the Gaziantep Organized Industrial Zone, Türkmen was detained and released on February 14. Türkmen, who was detained again yesterday evening, gave his statement on charges of "violation of the freedom to work" and "incitement to commit a crime".

According to the report in Evrensel Newspaper, Türkmen was asked questions at the police station about his social media posts. It was learned that his statements were taken regarding his calls to workers in his posts.

In a statement he made on his social media account before being detained, Mehmet Türkmen said, 'I am being detained once again at the request of the bosses. I am being detained at the door of the union while I am in a meeting with workers at the union. I will be back! The struggle continues.'

CALL FOR SUPPORT FROM THE UNION

BİRTEK-SEN published a statement regarding the ongoing investigation, stating that it was an intervention against the right to unionize. Reacting to the court's detention decision, BİRTEK-SEN called for support for Türkmen.

The union's statement noted the following:

''This investigation is a direct attack on the right to unionize. Calling on workers to be unionized, to act together, and to organize is a constitutional right and the duty of every unionist. This investigation has been launched not only against Mehmet Türkmen but against the struggle of the Antep working class, who are forced to work under unregulated and miserable conditions, to seek their rights against the bosses. Launching an investigation on behalf of the bosses, even without a complaint from the boss, is trampling on the law for the sake of the bosses. It is a crime in itself to first impose a Governor's ban on workers who want to increase their bread and then try to imprison their union. On the other hand, this approach towards the General President of our union, who calls on all parties regarding the demands of the workers and expresses at every opportunity that he is ready for the negotiation process, also sends the message that the demands of the workers will not be taken into account.

The history of the working class's struggle has shown that; bans, oppression, and arrests cannot hinder the class's search for rights. Against this investigation, which is clearly an attack on union rights, we call on the entire Turkish public who are in favor of labor to support the release of our General President Mehmet Türkmen, the lifting of the Governor's ban, and the acceptance of the workers' demands, and to oppose the use of the judiciary as a stick against the laborers.''