PSI sends protest letter to the Turkish Prime Minister

"Public Services International (PSI) is writing to you to protest in the strongest term against the continued harassment and intimidation of our sister trade unionists in Turkey," says PSI General Secretary Peter Waldorff in the letter that was posted to the Turkish Prime Minister on June 21.

In February 2012, 15 women trade union leaders and activists, members of PSI, were arrested and dragged from their homes in early morning raids. Further, the offices of municipal workers union, Tüm Bel Sen, and health and social service workers union, SES, (both affiliated to PSI), as well as the offices of the Confederation of Civil Servants Trade Unions, KESK, (affiliated to ITUC) were invaded and searched as part of a so-called police investigation.

Since then, six of the women have been released on bail, while nine others remain in prison.