Turquía - Prosecuted for taking part in union demonstration (2012)

In May, 111 union leaders, members and supporters were indicted for their participation in an April 2010 demonstration in Ankara to support TEKEL (Turkish Tobacco and Alcohol Monopoly) workers, on charges that carry prison terms of up to five years. The demonstration was in protest at the loss of 12,000 jobs following the privatisation of TEKEL tobacco warehouses and the breakdown of negotiations between the government and the TEKGIDA-IS union (affiliated to the International Union of Food workers – IUF) over the future of the workers. Those protests were met with violent interventions by the security forces. The Turkish government later filed criminal charges against 111 union leaders, members and supporters including TEKGIDA-IS’ President, Mustafa Turkel, four other national officers and 12 branch presidents, the current and former heads of the national centre, DISK, two former leaders of the public sector confederation, KESK, and other prominent union and social activists.