Communist Party of Turkey releases statement about two educators on hunger strike: Speak up!

Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) released a statement about the hunger strike of two educators dismissed unlawfully by statutory decrees of the government
Friday, 12 May 2017 23:00

Two educators, Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça were dismissed unlawfully by statutory decrees of Turkey's AKP government. Gülmen and Özakça ended their 65th day in the hunger strike with worsening health condition. They were recently assaulted by the police once again. Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) released a statement about the situation and called for speaking up and protecting these two educators as well as everybody’s rights.

"Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça left unemployed by one of the unlawful statuary decrees are on hunger strike for justice and for not starving," said the TKP in the statement titled "Speak up Turkey! Protect Nuriye Gülmen, Semih Özakça and your rights."

Dismissals by the statutory decrees are legitimised by the government’s fight against its former ally, U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen's religious network. However, the statement underlined that it is a lie that the victims of these statutory decrees are Gülenists and that the aim is to fight against them.

"Without any procedural or legal act and any adjudication, people have been announced as Gülenists and they have not been given the right to object. Laws are being enacted by the government decision, but these laws do not have to comply with the laws. They do not even have to comply with the constitution. Furthermore, no objections can be made against the applications of these laws, they cannot be sued. Because there is a state of emergency," the statement read. 

"These two educators, for whom it is not possible to have links with Gülenists, were dismissed by the government that had worked as the partner of Gülenists for years.They continue their protests to death by staying very close to the parliament that is supposed to represent the nation’s will. Is it possible to stop those who protect their rights legitimately by the police force? If they think it is possible, they are totally wrong," said the statement.

TKP warned AKP government and called for protecting these two educators as well as everybody’s rights:

"We stand by all educators who have been dismissed unlawfully by standing by Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça. We call everyone for backing this legitimate struggle.

We warn the government: You are responsible for anything bad that could happen to these two progressive people. Correct your mistake now! The state of emergency should end now. The statutory decrees should be cancelled. Those whose rights were taken away with these unlawful decrees should be given their rights now. No other procedural act should be needed for this.

There should be real and legal steps taken against the Gülenist structure that settled itself down the state. The government should stop targeting hundreds of thousands of people in an arbitrary way while passing by other Gülenists in the government."