Freedom Call For Karabulut Family in Holland

Assembling outside the Dutch Parliament on Friday, Gezi Solidarity of Holland urged the freedom of Karabulut Family, a couple and their two children who have previously applied for political asylum and now processed for return to Turkey. 

Ali-Leyla Karabulut couple, their daughter Defne Naz (6) and their Holland-born son Ernesto Serdar (1.5) have been detained on November 10 from the refugee camps they were staying and transferred to Soesterberg Prison. The couple applied for a political asylum in 2012. 

While Gezi Solidarity of Holland attempted to create an awareness on the the detention that they called to be “unjust and inhumane”, they also took legal action through their advocates. 

Around 30 people assembled outside the parliament building, holding banners to urge for freedom for Karabulut Family. Demonstrators also held a forum, requesting for a meeting with official in the parliament. 

Michel van Nispen, a deputy from Socialist Party, met with protestors, pledging to bring the matter to the parliament as soon as possible. He also met with a lawyer, exploring options to stop the impending deportation order. 

On the other hand, it was reported that Ali Karabulut started a death strike in the prison, refusing any intake including water and sugar. While test results showed that his health situation worsened, activists urged for tests held by independent doctors. 

It was also claimed that prison officials stopped Leyla Karabulut’s death strike by threatening that “they could take their children from her”. Diagnosed with depression, Leyla Karabulut allegedly wasn’t allowed to go to her doctor’s appointment. 

New application

Following the protest, activists from Turkey and Holland held a forum continued outside an asylum office.  

Karabulut Family, on the other hand, was scheduled for deportation on November 16. 

Their application to Dutch court system and the European Court of Human Rights were also rejected. A new application will be made according to activists. (FE/YY/BM)

* Click here to read the article in Turkish.