Battal Sağır, a worker whose wage has not been paid for months, protested his employers and the Directorate of Labour and Employment Agency in İzmir by taking his clothes off in front of the directorate's building, local media reported on January 16.
Battal Sağır said he filed a petition of complaint to the Directorate 3 months ago only to get an answer that "his petition document got lost."
Starting a naked sit-in protest in front of the directorate's building, Sağır said "The ones who do not advocate the rights of the workers shall come out and see the condition of the workers. I am a worker, a starved worker. They defend the rights of the employers instead of mine."
When the police officers came and told him to cease his protest, Sağır said "I am protesting the government. I have no harm to anybody. I am defending my rights like this." Sağır continued his protest although the police officers told him to stop.
On January 13, a construction worker also attempted to burn himself for his financial difficulties in front of the State Assembly Hospital in Ankara, Turkey.
