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Erdogan regime steps up attacks on trade unionists
The arrest of trade union leader Remzi Caliskan on charges of connections to the PKK, which have not been proven in nine years of investigation, is a worrying development for Turkey, writes KEMAL GOKTAS
FACING DOWN THE AKP: Disk and other trade unions attempt march to Taksim Sqaure, Istanbul, May 1 2013

TURKEY’S ruling AKP has long used the judiciary as a political tool, targeting individuals and groups to suppress dissent under the guise of legality. This strategy enables control not only over politics but also over social life, leaving little room for independent thought or action.

The mass arrests of politicians, union leaders, journalists and artists following police raids have become routine. These incidents, once shocking, are now so normalised that even judicial practices bordering on scandal fail to provoke outrage.

However, politically motivated judicial actions do more than violate individual rights. They undermine legal security, creating a society where anyone could be arbitrarily jailed. The recent crackdown on trade union leaders and human rights defenders highlights this concerning reality.

Repression unseen since the 1980 coup

Nine years of surveillance yielded nothing

Confidential witnesses and informants

A trade union free from political influence

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