Intellectuals, artists, and journalists call for support for Polonez workers

Polonez workers, who were dismissed after joining the Tekgıda-İş Union, began their resistance on July 17. Following weeks of protests in front of the factory in Çatalca, Istanbul, the workers also initiated a march to Ankara.

On December 6, the 141st day of the workers' struggle for reinstatement, their "Constitutional Rights March" to Ankara was blocked by police in front of the Çatalca Courthouse. The workers, who were placed under blockade, began a hunger strike on the second day their demand to march was obstructed.

While the workers continued their hunger strike and uninterrupted vigil in front of the Çatalca Courthouse, a group of workers also organized a march on the Anatolian side today. The march of the Polonez workers, who walked to the Anatolian Courthouse in Kartal, was blocked by police and riot squads in front of the courthouse.

'We call for support for the voices of Polonez workers!'

Meanwhile, intellectuals who launched a petition campaign to show solidarity with the Polonez workers at the call of the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) stated, "We stand with the Polonez workers. We call on the entire public to take responsibility for a solution and to amplify the rightful struggle of the Polonez workers."

The call titled "We call for support for the voices of Polonez workers!" is as follows:

"146 workers were dismissed from the Polonez factory because they joined a union. The workers have been in resistance for their union rights since July 17.

The workers, who continue their struggle in the resistance tent they set up in front of the factory, gathered on December 6 to march to Ankara under the title of 'Constitutional Rights March' to make their voices heard. The workers, whose march starting from in front of the Polonez factory was not permitted, maintained their determination to walk despite detentions.

The workers, who spent the night in front of the courthouse, began their march from the Çatalca Courthouse to the Büyükçekmece Courthouse on December 7. However, they were intercepted before they could leave Çatalca, and their march was blocked by the police. The workers, whose rightful demand to march was rejected, returned to the front of the Çatalca Courthouse and began a hunger strike from that date. Some of the Polonez workers, who started a hunger strike for their constitutional demands, came to the Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse on December 16 for the Ankara march and conveyed their demand to walk by making a statement. Upon being informed by the police that they would not be allowed to proceed, a vigil also began at the Anatolian Courthouse.

While laborers in our country are forced to work under harsh conditions, for long hours, and for low wages, the only thing bosses think about is adding profit to their profits.

Today is the time to stand with the Polonez workers who are fighting for their labor and sweat. As journalists, artists, writers, and academics, we call for support for the voices of the Polonez workers who are claiming their union rights for humane working conditions.

We stand with the Polonez workers. We call on the ruling powers and the Polonez boss to stop preventing workers from exercising their rights.

The workers dismissed at Polonez must be reinstated. We call on the entire public to take responsibility for a solution and to amplify the rightful struggle of the Polonez workers.

The Polonez worker will win!

You can also send an email to iletisim@tkp.org.tr to support the petition campaign."

The signatories of the campaign are as follows:

Ahmet Birsen - Translator, Editor

Ahmet Doğan - Writer

Ahmet Necdet Pamir - Energy Expert, Academic

Ali Demiraslan - Yurttaş Haber Editor-in-Chief

Ali Doğan Sayıner - Painter

Ali Rıza Aydın - Former Rapporteur of the Constitutional Court

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Somel - Academic

Alp Yanardağ - Journalist, Tele1

Arda Ormancı - Journalist, Odatv

Arif Nihat Üstünbaş - Geological Engineer

Arzu Kılıçdoğan - Painter

Asaf Güven Aksel - Writer

Aşkın Süzük - Union Expert

Aslı İnanmışık - Journalist

Ayça Güngör Aşık - Theater Artist

Aydemir Güler - THTM Executive Board Member, Writer

Azra Deniz Okyay - Film Director

Dr. Ayşe Şule Süzük - Writer

Dr. Ayşegül Kavas - Faculty Member

Aysu Demirel - Presenter, Journalist, Flash Haber

Aytunç Erkin - Journalist, Writer

Aziz Turgut Altun - Halk TV Web Editor

Aziz Yavuzdoğan - Graphic Designer, Cartoonist

Bahar Kılıç - Painter

Bahtiyar Kaymak - Poet

Banu Çiçek - Theater Actor

Barış Pehlivan - Journalist

Barış Terkoğlu - Journalist

Barış Yıldırım - Musician

Dr. Bekir Aşık - Faculty Member

Bekir Öz - Actor, Producer, Screenwriter

Berat Karaaslan - Sözcü Web Editor

Asst. Prof. Dr. Berk İlke Dündar - Academic

Berkay Önoğlu - TKP Central Committee Member, Communist Youth of Turkey

Beyza Acar - Painter, Academic

Beyza Çelik Demircioğlu - EMO Istanbul Branch Board Substitute Member

Buğrahan Aydın - Journalist

Prof. Dr. Bülent Duran - Physician

Burak Şahinkaya - Musician

Dr. Burçak Özoğlu - Academic, Writer

Burcu Günüşen - Journalist

Burcu Okutan - Reporter, Editor, Cumhuriyet

Büşra İlaslan - Journalist, Odatv

Can Kuyumcuoğlu - Journalist

Canan Kaya - Journalist

Prof. Dr. Cangül Örnek - Academic

Canol Kocagöz - Cartoonist

Cansu Fırıncı - Actor

Cem Yarkın - Musician

Cengiz Aldemir - Parliamentary Reporter

Cengiz Karagöz - Reporter, Cumhuriyet

Prof. Dr. Çağatay Tavşanoğlu - Academic

Çağdaş Bayraktar - Journalist, Cumhuriyet

Çağdaş Sümer - Academic

Çağla Coşar - Academic

Çağlar Öner - Editor, Announcer, KRT TV

Çağrı Kınıkoğlu - Director

Dr. Çiğdem Kurt Villiams - Academic

Dengin Ceyhan - Pianist

Deniz Can Atal - Research Assistant

Deniz Tuncer - Musician

Prof. Dr. E. Zeynep Suda - Academic

Ece Ataer - Writer

Ekrem Ataer - Musician, Writer

Elif Ajdar Kosh - Painter

Emel Diril - Lawyer, Spokesperson for Çiğli People's Assemblies

Emir Köseoğlu - Musician

Emre Alım - Journalist

Ender Özer - Painter

Ender Yiğit - Voice Actor, Theater Actor

Engin Açar - Journalist

Engin Güneysu - Photographer

Engin Solakoğlu - Retired Diplomat

Enver Aysever - Journalist, Writer

Ercan Çağıran - Musician

Ercan Deniz Küçük - Journalist

Ercan Özdal - Actor

Erhan Karaçay - Electrical Engineer

Prof. Dr. Erhan Nalçacı - THTM Executive Board Member

Ersin Eroğlu - Journalist

Esen Gökdoğan - Spokesperson for Çeşme People's Assemblies

Etkin Kolbaşı - Journalist

Evrim Kepenek - Bianet, Reporter

Ezgi Özcan - Musician

Asst. Prof. Dr. Ezgi Altınışık - Academic

Fahri Kaan Arslan - Academic

Fatih Ergin - Journalist, Writer

Dr. Fatma Pınar Arslan - Academic

Fide Lale Durak - Painter

Fırat Yeşilçınar - Tele1.com.tr Editor-in-Chief

Fuat Çiyiltepe - Retired State Theater Actor

Fulya Girginer - Spokesperson for Kadıköy People's Assemblies

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Gökçe Cihan Üstündağ - Academic

Prof. Dr. Gamze Yücesan Özdemir - Academic

Gökçer Tahincioğlu - T24 Ankara Representative

Gökhan Çağıran - Musician

Gökhan Kazbek - Journalist, soL TV Editor-in-Chief

Gökmen Dumlu - Spokesperson for Kartal People's Assemblies

Gülcan Altan - Musician

Günselin Seda Çetinkaya - Musician

Hakan Keysan - Poet

Hakan Mustafa Çelik - Painter

Hale Tüblek - Theater Actor

Haluk Polat - Choir Conductor, Musician

Hasan Tanay - Theater Actor

Hazal Güven - Journalist/Reporter, 12punto

Hümay Ongan - Research Assistant

İbrahim Can Usta - Research Assistant

İbrahim Şavlukbaş - President of the Homeland Lovers Association

İdris Yılmaz - Journalist

Asst. Prof. Dr. İlker Dalgar - Academic

İlyas Salman - Artist

İnönü Alpat - Writer

İnsel İnal - Painter, Academic

Prof. Dr. Iraz Akış Akad - Academic

İrem Karataş - Journalist, Cumhuriyet

İrem Yıldırım - Journalist

Kadir Özdal - Actor

Kadir Demirel - Musician

Kaya Güvenç - Engineer

Kaya Tokmakçıoğlu - Writer, Academic

Kemal Okuyan - TKP General Secretary

Dr. Kerem Cantekin - Independent Researcher, Economist

Kibar Dağlayan Yiğit - Director

Kutay Sırıklı - Research Assistant

Latif Tiftikçi - Theater Artist

Levent Karaoğlu - Photographer

Mahmut Kolaç - Lawyer

Mehmet Barış - Poet

Mehmet Karabudak - Musician

Mehmet Oflaz - Reporter, Anka

Mehmet Okuroğlu - Actor

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Özdoğan - General Surgeon

Dr. Mehmet Şahin - Faculty Member

Prof. Dr. Mehmet Somel - Geneticist

Mehmet Zeber - Cartoonist

Melek Gedik - Editor

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Melih Yeşilbağ - Academic

Mesut Eren - Painter

Metin Coşkun - Actor

Müge Saut - Theater Artist

Muhlis Şutanrıkul - Writer

Müjde Tozbey - President of the Women and Children First Association

Murat Ağırel - Journalist

Murat Beşer - Music Critic

Murat Güner - Musician

Murat Mengirkaon - Musician

Musa Özuğurlu - Tele1 Ankara Representative

Mustafa Büyüksipahi - 12punto Editor-in-Chief

Mustafa İkizoğlu - Theater Artist, Trainer

Mustafa Kalkan - Producer

Mustafa Kemal Erdemol - Journalist

Mustafa Mert Bildircin - Reporter, Birgün

Dr. Nazım Sinan Odabaşı - Faculty Member

Nazlı Deniz Korkmaz - Voice Actor

Dr. Nazlı Somel - Faculty Member

Necati Enöz - Research Assistant

Necmettin Aydın - BMİS Gebze Branch No. 2 President

Neslihan Eroğlu - Spokesperson for the Patronların Ensesindeyiz Network

Dr. Neslişah Başaran Lotz - Academic

Dr. Nevin Eracar - Academic

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nevzat Evrim Önal - Academic

Nevzat Süs - Theater Artist

Nihat Behram - Poet, Writer

Nurdan Yıldırım - Journalist

Oğuz Miraç Sönmez - Photographer

Olgu Ülkenciler - Painter

Ömer Koçağ - Painter

Önen Günöz - Faculty Member

Onur Kök - Ufuk Newspaper Editor-in-Chief

Orhan Aydın - Theater Artist

Orhan Gökdemir - Journalist, Writer

Ozan Çoban - Musician

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ozan Ekin Kurt - Academic

Özgür Aydın - Academic

Özkan Öztaş - Journalist

Pınar Saraçoğlu - Odatv, Journalist

Remzi Oğuz Yılmaz - Writer, Graphic Designer

Prof. Dr. Rıfat Okçabol - Academic, Writer

Sait Munzur - Cartoonist

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Savaş Karabulut - Geophysical Engineer, Academic

Selçuk Çiftçi - BMİS Gebze Branch No. 1 President

Selen Kartay - Theater Artist

Selnur Aysever - Editor

Selver Çavuş - Actor

Semir Aslanyürek - Director

Senan Kara - Actor

Senem Doruk İnam - TKP Central Committee Member, Responsible for Women's Solidarity Committees

Serdar Şahinkaya - Economic Historian

Serdar Şencan - Painter

Serkan Düz - Journalist

Serpil Güvenç - Writer

Seval Şahin - Sculptor

Sevra Baklacı - Academic

Sezgin Uzunbekiroğlu - Theater Actor

Sinem Nazlı Demir - Writer, 12punto Reporter

Şule Aydın - Journalist

Suphi Varım - Writer

Tolga Çandar - Musician

Tuluğ Ünlütürk - Designer, Artist

Uğur Demirbaş - Painter

Ulaş Özer - Musician, Academic

Ümmü Putgül - Actor

Umut Bekcan - Academic

Umut Germeç - Painter

Umut Taştan - Journalist

Volkan Algan - Writer

Yalçın Cuğ - Journalist

Yavuz Pak - Theater Critic, Writer

Yiğit Günay - Journalist, soL Editor-in-Chief

Yıldıray Ozan - Academic

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Yücel Demirer - Political Scientist

Zafer Aslan - Musician

Prof. Zuhal Okuyan - Public Health Specialist

Zülal Kalkandelen - Journalist, Writer