Repression gegen "AkademikerInnen für den Frieden" in der Türkei
Anfang Dezember beginnen die Prozesse gegen die türkische Initiative AkademikerInnen für den Frieden. Es sind mittlerweile über 300 Klagen verschickt worden. Die Anklagen erfolgen zwar einzeln, aber die Prozessverhandlungen sollen nach Universitäten zugeteilt stattfinden. Damit sollen auch konkrete kritische Zusammenhänge zerschlagen werden. Die Termine sind sehr eng getaktet.
Internationale UnterstützerInnen wollen die Prozessreihe in Istanbul begleiten. Es geht nicht nur um die politische Symbolik der Aktion, auch nicht nur darum, als Prozessbeobachter eine unmittelbare moralische Unterstützung für die Betroffenen zu ermöglichen. Es geht auch darum, die Zusammenhänge und die Solidarität zwischen der Zivilgesellschaft hier und dort zum Ausdruck zu bringen und zu intensivieren. Geplant sind außerdem weitere solidarische Aktivitäten, u. a. soll es einen Spendenaufruf geben.
Aktualisierte Infos: solidaritaetsbrief.org
Der BdWi unterstützt die Solidaritätsaktionen und den Spendenaufruf für die AkademikerInnen für den Frieden, anknüpfend an die Offenen Briefe an den damaligen Bundesaußenminister Steinmeier (siehe: www.bdwi.de/show/9404886.html).
Anbei noch ein Aufruf zur Solidarität mit den Betroffenen in der Türkei:
Dear friends,
In the past few months, you have supported your colleagues in Turkey with great solidarity. Unfortunately, the situation has taken on a serious dimension. As stated in the call( see below), scientists are now facing imprisonment for up to 7.5 years. Therefore, international solidarity is more important than ever.
Two delegations to Turkey are being prepared. On December 5th and January 18th in Istanbul, they should accompany the processes. Scientists, trade unionists, artists and politicians are invited to this delegation. Participation in this delegation does not constitute a danger. To support this delegation, we need publications on the current processes in Turkey and financial support to cover some of the costs. Therefore, all solidary academics and artists are requested here. we ask for your concrete solidarity. I am available for coordination and inquiries
Dr. Halis Yildirim/*
- Call to solidarity!!!*
As the signatories to the Peace Petition of January 11, 2016, we have gone through many various types of repression since we had shared our claim to peace in the public by the declaration, titled "We Will Not Be A Party To This Crime.” We have also experienced a variety of solidarity practices. Since January 2016, more than 500 of our colleagues were tried to be separated from their universities and from their students through dismissal from public service, firing, forced retirement. Four of our colleagues were detained for weeks.
Today we are on the edge of a new phase. The signatories to the January 11 Peace Petition, publicly known as the Academics for Peace Petition are sued on an individual basis on the accusation of "propagandizing for terror” (See Turkish Penal Code, Article 7/2). The public prosecutor proposes imprisonment extending to 7.5 years.
First the signatory academics from İstanbul University and Galatasaray University were sued at the Criminal Court. They were followed by the signatory academics from Marmara University, Yıldız Technical University, İstanbul Technical University, Özyeğin University and Kemerburgaz University. It is not clear who will be added to this chain. The cases are opened with the same ‘copy and paste’ bill of indictment, but on an individual basis. The cases are distributed to different Criminal Courts, on different dates and in 10-minute intervals so as to preempt the sued academics to stand together.
As of November 15, 2017 only one tenth of the signatory academics are sued. The cases are organized so as to extend from December 2017 to April 2018.
In due process, the support extended from (the members of) the universities and institutions in the country and abroad has been of utmost importance for us. In this new turn, where we are well aware that it is not the individual academics who are sued, but the claim to peace and the voice of the free science that put forth this claim are on trial we need your support more than ever.
We hope to continue forming solidarity through close cooperation.
We call you to stand by us in the courts starting from December 5, 2017 by sending monitoring teams, by observers, news-making, transparent information sharing.
As citizens of this country we will continue in our claim to peace and life and to stand against all kinds of rights violations.
We will continue to do so in ever growing solidarity.