"Model for Tunisia and Egypt," "potential ally against Syria," Turkey is the center of
attention of the Western media. A few years ago, Turkey was the big bad wolf should not be
accepted in the European Union, "because Turkey is not part of Europe" (version geography
textbook from 19 th century), "because Europe is Christian" (version frankly fascist),
"because Turkey does not respect human rights" (version kindly left but not too much of it
...). What has happened in the meantime? Turkey she turned "heaven on earth"?! No, the
crisis is over there: the enlargement of the EU is no longer on the agenda (but rather to
avoid the explosion) and emergency social concerns all countries, including including the
richest. ---- In reality, while large French media praised the merits of Turkish democracy
and its "moderate Islamism" as a model for plans to build after the popular uprisings in
Egypt and Tunisia, the reality is quite different.
The AKP is a party popular in western countries for its economic liberalism. At the same
time, it is also a conservative party that threatens women's rights, Kurds and ethnic and
religious minorities (including halevis) or sexual minorities (LGBTT). Even if claims of
political Islam, the AKP largely met expectations politician-not-s power in Europe and
North America because it protects the interests of the economic and military power in the
region . And among conservatives, we get along well, whatever the color of their flag!
On the occasion of May 1 last, a procession was formed anarchist to display a radical
rejection of the capitalist state policies and oppose the search for economic and social
equality, freedom and practice of class solidarity . On this occasion, a few windows of
banks and multinationals were shattered. The State's response was immediate and completely
disproportionate: several alternative locations were raided and ransacked, 60 people were
arrested and, following this, 15 of them (6 of which are not even in Istanbul! ) were
imprisoned under the guise of anti-terrorism legislation (as proof? A book of Kropotkin,
anarchist theorist, found at home!). They and they spent more than three months in
deplorable conditions of confinement (isolation, conflict, overcrowding and lack of beds,
non-compliance with diet). From the inside, and they have continued to fight collectively,
including a hunger strike that has enabled them to improve their conditions of detention.
Mobilization was also organized outside with their supporters. In Istanbul, a group is
responsible for transmitting information to the anarchists and the world Istanbulites, to
raise money and organize events around the prisons. Solidarity actions also took place
around the world, including Germany, Switzerland and France (three rallies at the
initiative of the CGA were held in Lyon, Lille and Paris). In Paris, a manifestation of a
hundred people went to the Turkish Embassy to shout his anger and defend the freedom and
the release of the anarchists and all political prisoners. It is thanks to the
mobilization of locked-es and their supporters they could be released August 17-es. The
ridiculous accusation of terrorism but fell 9 of them already have a trial date (25
January 2013) for damage to public goods.
The fight is not over. Must organize solidarity to pay the costs of repression (lawyers,
potential penalties etc..). We must support the comrades who were pressured to prevent
them to express themselves and to resume their political activities. We must also continue
the fight against repression in general, as there are still thousands of opposition-es
(Kurdish students, communists, feminists ...) languishing in Turkish jails. Turkish state
continues to pursue a policy of state terrorism, as evidenced by the massacre Roboski
December 28, 2011, in which 34 people including 19 children were killed in a bombing. The
activists are imprisoned-es, es tortured, assaulted es fascist thugs physically
manipulated by the Turkish Government or by the forces of repression.
Faced with this, beyond borders, Solidarity is our weapon!
Group in the Paris region
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» (en) International CGA - - IAL #93 - Turkey: After the release of the comrades, the struggle continues! (fr)