INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-TURKEY:

FREE SEHER TUMER:

The following appeal for solidarity comes from the international labour solidarity site Labour Start.

TLTLTLTLTLTLTLTL

Act NOW!

Turkey: Free Seher Tümer

Union activist Seher Tümer, Branch Secretary of PSI affiliate SES (the trade union of public employees in health and social services), will spend International Women’s Day 2010 in prison.

But international solidarity action could open the door to freedom for her.

Ms Tümer has now been detained in an F-type prison for almost a year, with no clear charges being brought against her. PSI is convinced that her arrest is linked to her activities in the labour and women’s movements in that country, including participating in International Women’s Day activities last year. Tumer, who is Kurdish, was arrested and imprisoned in April 2009. Her case mirrors that of fellow union leader Meryem Özsöðüt, who faced similar charges of belonging to a terrorist organisation. (Özsöðüt was released after eight months in prison following a major international protest campaign led by PSI.)

PSI has been closely following this case. Ms Tümer’s next court appearance is planned for 9 March, PSI and EPSU have sent a joint letter of protest to the Turkish Prime Minister demanding that all charges be dropped and that she be immediately released.

PSI urgently calls on trade unions and concerned organisations to write similar letters of protest. Join the Labourstart Campaign and send a letter of protest now.

TLTLTLTLTLTLTL

The Letter:

Please go to this link to send the following letter to the Turkish authorities to demand the release of Seher Tumer.

YLTLTLTLTLTLTL

Mr Recep Tayyip Erdoðan

Prime Minister

Ankara

Republic of Turkey
Dear Prime Minister,
I write to demand the immediate release of Ms Seher Tümer, Branch Secretary of SES (Trade union of public employees in health and social services), Turkey, an affiliate of Public Services International (PSI).

Ms Tümer has now been detained in an F-type prison for almost a year, with no clear charges being brought against her. We are convinced that her arrest is linked to her trade union activities.

We are sure that, as a member of the International labour Organisation and an aspiring member of the European Union, your Government will want to act swiftly to ensure that this breach of fundamental human and trade union rights is corrected.
Yours sincerely,