Croatian organizations express their resentment with the repression in Turkey that has been going on for a long time, and recently, with the media blockade, reached alarming proportions. Also, as activists for human and workers’ rights, democratization, protection of the environment and public resources, we express our solidarity with Turkish activists and encourage them in their struggle for a democratic Turkey.
The Croatian public is familiar with the cases of Turkish citizens Başak Şahin Duman and Vicdan Sahin Özerdem, who had been sentenced by Turkish authorities to long-term imprisonment on the account of their work as activists and journalists; and whom, after several months of detention, the Republic of Croatia refused to extradite to Turkey. Unfortunately, such cases are not rare: for a number of years the Turkish Government, led by the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his Justice and Development Party (AKP) has been using brutal methods to eradicate all forms of criticism coming from the media, academic community, political opposition and activists. Basic political rights, as freedom of expression, public assembly, political and trade union organizing, which form the minimum and indispensable precondition for democracy in Turkey, have been openly limited for years. Those who publicly criticize the Government are frequently detained and with no sufficient evidence sentenced to long-term prison.
However, these days, the Turkish Government went a step further in the repression and violence against their citizens; in an attempt to stop what started as a protest against plundering of public space and privatization threatening the Geza Park in the very centre of Istanbul. The protest developed into a broad movement against the repressive government and spread to other Turkish cities as Ankara, Izmir, Adan and others. The police used a series of severely violent methods in their attempt to control the protesters, as smoke bombs, pepper spray, water cannons and even firearms on several occasions. The number of wounded citizens reached four digit numbers, deaths were also reported. Nevertheless, throughout Turkey an increasing number of Turkish citizens have persisted to resist the repressive Erdoğan’s government. It seems that a turning point has been reached that could lead to big changes in Turkey.
We consider the actions of the Erdoğan’s government as an open declaration of war against its citizens and has, once again, called in question the legality and legitimacy if its rule. Therefore, we are sending a message to the Turkish citizens that we strongly support them, just like numerous activists around the world do, in their struggle for democracy and open advocacy for public interest. From the Government of the Republic of Croatia we expect a clear, unambiguous position towards the non-democratic Erdoğan’s government and a contribution to the efforts directed towards ending the violence and repression, as well as to the international support for the struggle of the Turkish people.
Support to Turkish protesters watch in the Fade In’s video here.
Here you can find translated letter on Turkish language.
The atmosphere of the action in front of Turkish Embassy you can see in this photogallery.
With Solidarity,
– Akademska solidarnost (Academic Solidarity)
– Baza za radničku inicijativu i demokratizaciju (Organization for Workers’ Initiative and Democratization)
– B.a.B.e.
– Brodsko ekološko društvo – BED (Brod’s Environmental Society – BED)
– Centar za edukaciju, savjetovanje i istraživanje (CESI – Centre for Education, Counselling and Research)
– Centar za građanske inicijative Poreč (Centre for Civic Initiatives Poreč)
– Centar za mir, nenasilje i ljudska prava Osijek (Centre for Peace, Non-violence and Human Rights Osijek)
– Centar za mirovne studije (Centre for Peace Studies)
– Centar za ženske studije (Centre for Women’s Studies)
– Cenzura Plus
– Direktna demokracija u školi (Direct Democracy in School)
– Documenta – Centar za suočavanje s prošlošću (Documenta- Centre for Dealing with the Past)
– Ekološko društvo Pan – Karlovac (Environmental Society Pan-Karlovac)
– Eko – Zadar
– GONG
– Građanska akcija
– Hrvatsko debatno društvo (Croatian Debate Society)
– Info zona – Split (Info zone- Split)
– JEF Hrvatska (JEF Croatia)
– Klub studenata Fakulteta političkih znanosti (Students’ Club of the Faculty of Political Sciences)
– Kuća ljudskih prava (Human Rights House)
– Mirovna grupa Oaza (Peace Group Oasis)
– Mladi antifašisti Zagreba (Young Anti-fascists of Zagreb)
– Mreža mladih Hrvatske (Croatian Youth Network)
– Multimedijalni institut MaMa (MaMa – Multimedia Institute)
– Pravo na grad (Right to the City)
– Subversive Forum
– Udruga za nezavisnu medijsku kulturu (Independent Media Culture Association)
– Udruga „Protagora“ (Association “Protagora“)
– Zelena akcija (Green Action)
– Zeleni Osijek (Green Osijek)