Raid on waste and recycling workers in İstanbul’s Sancaktepe

* Photo: Umut-Sen / Twitter

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Following the raids on waste and recycling workers in İstanbul's Ümraniye and Ataşehir, a raid was also carried out against the workers in Sancaktepe in the early morning hours today (October 7).

The police and municipal police teams launched simultaneous raids on 36 different addresses, demolishing and damaging the depots of waste and recycling workers with construction equipment and seizing their handcarts and other equipment and materials.

The workers who came to Turkey as refugees and are now making a living as waste paper and plastic pickers have been taken into custody on the grounds that "they came to the country illegally."

As reported by Evrensel newspaper, the detained people first underwent a body search and identification, then taken to the Tuzla Migrant Assembly Center. The refugee workers will be reportedly deported from Turkey after the related formalities are completed.

What happened?

The municipal police officers of Ümraniye Municipality and riot police officers raided the depots of waste paper and plastic pickers in Ümraniye in the early morning hours on September 4, 2021. With their depots attempted to be seized, the waste and recycling workers started resisting.

The municipal police teams asked them, "Do you have a license? Do you have a permit?" and said, "You cannot work without a license, we will seize this place." With workers resisting these threats, dozens of riot police officers came to the recycling depot in Esenkent.

The workers continued resisting the police, too. At least four workers were detained following the police intervention with tear gas and rubber bullets.

The workers held a press statement the other day (October 5). Speaking in Ataşehir, the workers demanded the release of their detained friends. However, while the statement was still ongoing, it was reported in the press that three workers were arrested and sent to Maltepe Prison.

On the night of October 6, the police and municipal police teams carried out simultaneous raids on 49 different addresses of waste paper and plastic pickers, taking nearly 200 workers into custody.

Detained during the raids, 78 refugees were reportedly brought to the Provincial Immigration Authorities to be deported from Turkey. (TP/SD)