KESK on trial for condemning the occupation of Afrin

"Trade unions all over the world have stood against war. The duty of a unionist is to keep people alive."

The first hearing of the case filed against 7 members of the Confederation of Public Workers' Unions (KESK) Central Executive Committee (MYK), was heard on Thursday.

The case was filed after the publication, by KESK, of a statement titled ‘Attacks against Afrin Deepens Chaos!’

KESK co-chair, Mehmet Bozgeyik, KESK Secretary General, Ramazan Gürbüz and lawyers attended the hearing at the Ankara 4th High Criminal Court.

Other members did not attend the hearing, due to some obstacles put before them.

The members of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), the Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB), the Human Rights Association (IHD) and the Confederation of Revolutionary Trade Unions (DİSK) members were also at the hearing.

Bozgeyik spoke first. “What is on trial at this moment at Ankara Court is peace”, he said.

KESK Secretary General Ramazan Gürbüz added: “In the statement I made at the time of the investigation before Ankara Police Department, I saw that the police had added a few files and posts I shared in social media which were not related to the case. And when I asked about them I had an interesting reply. They told me they needed to strengthen the file and so added things.”

Gürbüz pointed out that the investigations and the cases opened were intended to criminalize union confederations and executives. "Trade unions all over the world have stood against war. The duty of a unionist is to keep people alive”, he said.

The unionists’ defense lawyer spoke and present his clients’ defence. He was followed by IHD General Secretary, Öztürk Türkdoğan, who said: “What happened in Afrin has been before everyone’s eyes.”

Trial postponed

The court was adjourned and the next hearing set on 7 March 2019, demanding that the other pending defendants be present at the next hearing.