Meryem Özsögut

(17 July, Brussels) EPSU today added its support to the efforts to release jailed Turkish trade unionist Meryem Özsögüt. Ms. Özsögüt was arrested six months ago. The Turkish Government has so far not responded to over 7,000 calls for her release. Ms. Özsögüt was arrested on the morning of 8 January following her participation in a press conference on 14 December 2007 to denounce the killing of a trade union activist. Ever since that date Ms Özsögüt has remained in custody with her trial having been postponed several times. Ms. Özsögüt was arrested in connection with allegedly “being a member of a terrorist organization” and “for making propaganda in favour of the terrorist organisation”.

“We will use all the channels available to us to exert political pressure on the Turkish government through the European Commission, the European Parliament and other European institutions. We will continue to mobilie until we secure the release of Meryem Özsögüt”, stated EPSU General Secretary Carola Fischbach-Pyttel.

EPSU is coordinating with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and Public Service International (PSI), to maximize the mobilization of International demands to the Turkish Government to release Ms. Özsögüt

Ms Meryem Özsögüt is a member of the Executive Board of the Turkish Union of Public Employees in Health and Social Services, affiliated to the ETUC member organization KESK.

Joint letter to SES

joint letter

Joint letter to Mr Vladimír Špidla Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, to Mr. Olli Rehn Commissioner for Enlargement and to Ms Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations

joint letter to V. Špidla

joint letter to O.Rehn

joint letter to Ferrero-Waldner