Union General Secretary Released From Detention

Arzu Çerkezoğlu, general secretary of Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK), have been detained in Istanbul while supporting a protest at Maltepe University Hospital.

Later on in the afternoon, she was released along with 35 other women.

The incident took place this morning as Dev Sağlık-İş member workers  started a protest in Maltepe University Hospital. 

“We are in the detention vehicle right now,” Çerkezoğlu told bianet over the phone. “Approximately there are 35 people. We are being transferred to a police station.

“Our friends were resisting for 80 days after being fired due to being a union members and asking for their rights. 

“We wanted to resolve the issue today by talking to the university president. 22 women workers put the banner ‘Fired workers must return to work’. Nobody met us and we got detained.”

Çerkezoğlu said that at least two women workers were affected with one suffering from a pulled arm and other from bruises. 

“They have been sent to the emergency room,” Çerkezoğlu said. (EA/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.