Solidarity Knows No Borders in the Face of Repression and Imprisonment

In Turkey, the fascist regime has taken 96 socialists into custody — leaders and members of the Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP), the Socialist Women’s Assemblies (SKM), the Federation of Socialist Youth Associations (SGDF), the Etkin News Agency (ETHA), the DİSK-Limter-İş trade union, the Legal Bureau of the Oppressed (EHB), the BEKSAV foundation, the ecological movement Polen Ekoloji and the ÖGK — during raids carried out on 3 February at their homes as well as at the premises of their parties and organizations. Following police custody, 81 socialists were arrested and imprisoned.

In particular, the ESP, SKM and SGDF, as well as all the organizations mentioned above, are legally constituted structures committed to the struggle against inequality, injustice and exploitation, and represent forces for democracy and socialism.

The current fascist regime has already arrested numerous journalists, the former co-chairs of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP), Figen Yüksekdağ and Selahattin Demirtaş, as well as many members of parliament, mayors and political officials, sentencing them to heavy prison terms. Dozens of journalists, writers and academics, as well as thousands of political activists, are also imprisoned.

The regime of oppression and repression is attempting to turn the entire country into a prison for democratic forces in order to perpetuate fascism and its power. In the face of fascist attacks and practices, the path to achieving democracy and defeating this bloody and obscurantist oppression lies in a united opposition and a common struggle of all democratic forces against every crime and every arrest carried out by those in power.

We, the undersigned, demand the immediate release of the leaders and members of ESP, SKM, SGDF, ETHA, DİSK-LİMTER-İŞ, ÖGK, BEKSAV and Polen Ekoloji who have been taken into custody and arrested.

We call on all those committed to democracy to join our signature campaign.

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