The NEU strongly condemns the detention of trade unionists and attacks on democracy in Turkey.
The NEU is deeply concerned by reports that seven members of the Executive Committee of Eğitim Sen, the NEU’s sister education union in Turkey, have been placed under house arrest. This outrageous attack on the fundamental rights to freedom of assembly and collective action follows a growing number of cases where peaceful protests, strikes, and other trade union activities are met with arbitrary arrests, detention, and intimidation in Turkey.
The NEU condemns the actions of the Turkish authorities to detain members of Eğitim Sen’s Executive under house arrest in the strongest terms.
On 25 March, members of Eğitim Sen took industrial action against the growing anti-democratic crackdown, which seeks to undermine university autonomy, academic freedom, and social responsibility.
Almost 2,000 people, including students, journalists and lawyers, have been detained following the arrest of Ekrem İmamoğlu, the democratically elected Mayor of Istanbul, on 23 March.
As democracy in Turkey is eroded, the NEU calls on the UK Government to hold the Turkish government accountable and demand that all individuals detained for the legitimate exercise of their rights are released immediately and unconditionally, and that fundamental rights and democracy are restored and protected.