State postal service workers dismissed for painting slogans about Grup Yorum

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Speaking to bianet, Murat Kabak, who was working for Turkey's postal service PTT in western Düzce province, has said that they were first detained for a day because they painted slogans about Grup Yorum concert, then they have been dismissed from their jobs afterwards.

Dismissed from the state postal service, workers Murat Kabak and Murat Gedik have filed a criminal complaint against the ones who have responsibility for their dismissal. They will also file a suit for reinstatement.

While Murat Kabak had been working in a mail delivery job for a subcontracting firm affiliated with the PTT for 10.5 years, Murat Gedik had been working there for 5 years and 8 months.

'He is the ringleader, don't meet him too much'

In their petition of criminal complaint submitted to the Düzce Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, both workers have requested an investigation against Düzce PTT General Director and PTT Central Director for "violating freedom of job and work based on unjust and unfounded accusations."

According to the petition of the workers, the directors had been telling the colleagues of the workers, "He is the ringleader, do not meet him too much, he is the member of the organization.".

"They even said, 'There are two-three ringleaders, we will dismiss them.' Even though the subcontracting firm has the authority to dismiss, they exerted pressure on the firm. I have witnesses about it, I demand that their statements be heard," the workers have said in their petition.

Murat Kabak learned about his dismissal with a single sentence. The document only indicated that the contracting firm had changed and his name was not among the workers who would work for the new firm:

About why he was seen as a "ringleader," he has said:

"Official notifications cannot be delivered by workers affiliated with the subcontractor, it needs to be done by a commissioned officer.

"They wanted us to bring those notifications, we did not accept it as it was against the law. They were constantly pressuring me, saying, 'Workers listen to you, tell them to deliver the notifications.' There is nothing like a warning in my file about any negligences about my job."

He will also file a complaint against prosecutor

He will also appeal to the Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) today and file a complaint against the prosecutor who sent the official letter.

Both workers were detained on March 6, 2020. They were released a day later. According to Murat Kabak, the prosecutor's office sent an official letter to the PTT on March 10 and said, "These persons were released on charge of 'propagandizing for the organization,' judgement rests with you."

Kabak has also said, "The security directorate also sent an official letter to the Governor's Office, bringing accusations against us. And the Governor's Office sent a letter to the PTT. Then our defense was requested."

Though there are no lawsuits against him, Kabak was requested by the directors to "acquit himself," Kabak has said. After these official letters, he was then requested to present a statement of defense.

In his defense, Murat Kabak has written that what was requested from them was against the law and it is not even certain whether a lawsuit will be filed as a result of the investigation: "It is a crime to bring charges against persons about whom there are no final court judgements, it is against the presumption of innocence." (AS/SD)