14 KESK Trade Unionists Arrested

The Izmir 10th Heavy Penal Court has decided to arrest 14 of the 28 members of the KESK trade union confederation of public employees. 14 more have been released to be tried without detention.

The names of those arrested are: Yüksel Mutlu, Hasan Soysal, Hasan Umar, Haydar Demir, Şermin Güneş, Harun Gündeş, Abdurrahman Başdemir, Mehmet Hanefi Kuriş, Nami Özgen, Elif Akgül Ateş, Nihat Keni, Sakine Esenyılmaz, Mustafa Beyaz and Aydın Güngörmez.

On Thursday, the police had taken 34 people into custody after operations in several provinces around Turkey. Six people had been released the next day.

Among those that have been released pending trial are Songül Morsümbül, member of the central executive board of the KESK trade union confederation and women's secretary and Gülçin Isbert, women's secretary of the educational Eğitim-Sen trade union, which is part of the KESK confederation.

On Friday and Saturday, there were protests around the country against the operation. (EÜ/AG)