Turkey is infamous for the brutality of its prisons. The ESP organisation (‘Socialist Platform of the Oppressed’) organised a demonstration in the capital city Ankara against this brutality and in solidarity with political prisoners currently incarcerated, many of whom have been on hunger strike. The police attempted to prevent the demonstrators from marching and a clash ensued, during which 47 people were arrested. Since then they have been awaiting trial.

Those on trial include Deniz Bakir, the Ankara Representative of the ESP; Basak Sahin the president of the Istanbul Socialist Youth Association, and five journalists from the Marxist-Leninist newspaper Atilim, Selver Orman. At the last court hearing it was claimed that they and all the other defendants were ‘terrorists’ and the ESP merely a cover for the banned Marxist-Leninist Communist Party.

Turkey is attempting to present a public image to the European Union of a country which is ‘westernised’, ‘civilised’ and ‘moderate’. However this remains far from the truth. The ESP is asking the British press and human rights organizations to follow the progress of this trial and lend support to those in prison. The criminalisation of these activists is a clear indication that the Turkish state is intolerant of peaceful and legitimate protest against it.

Press statement issued by Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!
in solidarity with the ESP.
For further information about the prisoners and trial, contact the Refugee Workers Cultural Association on 0207 249 9983 PRESS STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 26/4/05
Turkish activists in court – supporters call for international support

On 27 April, 46 men and women will go before the Turkish ‘special main criminal court’, charged with ‘terrorism’. They were arrested in 2004 while demonstrating against proposed new laws to impose stringent restrictions on the living conditions of Turkey’s political prisoners.

Turkey is infamous for the brutality of its prisons. The ESP organisation (‘Socialist Platform of the Oppressed’) organised a demonstration in the capital city Ankara against this brutality and in solidarity with political prisoners currently incarcerated, many of whom have been on hunger strike. The police attempted to prevent the demonstrators from marching and a clash ensued, during which 47 people were arrested. Since then they have been awaiting trial.

Those on trial include Deniz Bakir, the Ankara Representative of the ESP; Basak Sahin the president of the Istanbul Socialist Youth Association, and five journalists from the Marxist-Leninist newspaper Atilim, Selver Orman. At the last court hearing it was claimed that they and all the other defendants were ‘terrorists’ and the ESP merely a cover for the banned Marxist-Leninist Communist Party.

Turkey is attempting to present a public image to the European Union of a country which is ‘westernised’, ‘civilised’ and ‘moderate’. However this remains far from the truth. The ESP is asking the British press and human rights organizations to follow the progress of this trial and lend support to those in prison. The criminalisation of these activists is a clear indication that the Turkish state is intolerant of peaceful and legitimate protest against it.

Press statement issued by Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!
in solidarity with the ESP.
For further information about the prisoners and trial, contact the Refugee Workers Cultural Association on 0207 249 9983