Turkish manager operating airport in Somalia arrested: Sexual harassment of 4 women

Favori Airports, owned by the Turkish company Kozuva Holding, has been operating Aden Adde International Airport in Somalia since 2013.

According to a report by Serbestiyet, Ertuğrul Karaferiyeli, the Human Resources Manager of the Favori Airports company operating the airport in Mogadishu, was arrested on charges of sexually harassing 4 of his Somali female employees.

The Somali Attorney General's Office stated that Ertuğrul Karaferiyeli is accused of sexual harassment, threats, and abuse of office against Somalis working at the company.

HE HAS ANOTHER ONGOING CASE WITH THE SAME CHARGES

Somali media alleged that four women working at the company filed a complaint against Human Resources Manager Ertuğrul Karaferiyeli for sexual harassment, and that Karaferiyeli also had an ongoing case with the same charges before his arrest.

In a statement made by the Somali Attorney General's Office, it was stated that the defendant, Turkish citizen Ertuğrul Karaferiyeli, the Human Resources General Manager of the Favori firm, was taken into custody and referred to the courthouse, and that Karaferiyeli is accused of immorality, threats, abuse, and misconduct against Somali citizens; and of acting against workplace and ethical codes of conduct toward them.

The court accepted the indictment submitted by the Attorney General's Office and decided that the defendant should be tried while in custody.

The Federation of Somali Trade Unions (FESTU), which is closely following the sexual harassment allegations, stated in its announcement that the case was opened with sexual harassment allegations and claimed that incidents of sexual violence and harassment against employees at the Favori company had occurred previously.

'RECEIVING PROTECTION FROM HIGH-LEVEL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS'

Claiming that the company receives support from high-level figures in the Somali government to cover up previous accusations, the Federation stated, “Mogadishu’s international airport has become a place where labor rights, especially regarding protection from sexual violence and harassment, are regularly violated. The protection of workers continues to be ignored, and FAVORI is able to disregard the law so blatantly thanks to the protection it receives from certain high-level government officials who work to cover up and whitewash these crimes.”

FESTU General Secretary Omar Faruk Osman said the following:

‘‘This case is a symbol of the systematic abuses allowed to flourish at FAVORI and the broader context of impunity allowed to become widespread in Somali society. Our stance is clear: no one is above the law. The time for making excuses has ended. We demand accountability and justice for Somali workers. We call on Somali state institutions to fulfill their obligations under international and national commitments.

The struggle for justice and the dignity of Somali workers is a struggle for the soul of the nation. In cooperation with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), FESTU has filed a formal complaint against FAVORI with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This case is currently in the investigation phase. FAVORI’s continued disregard for Somali laws and international labor standards must be met with the full force of legal consequences.”

News Source: 12punto