Miners from the Fernas mining company who have been protesting their dismissal since Aug 28 were detained by police in Ankara late yesterday while staging a hunger strike in a local park.
The Independent Mine Workers Union (Bağımsız Maden İş) shared a video of the detentions on social media with the statement, "As our hunger strike enters its second day, we’ve been attacked by the police.
"You wouldn’t let us go to the ministries or the parliament, nor would you let us protest in front of Fernas. Now we’re not even allowed to sit. Should we just die quietly?"
In a following statement, the union said the police were attempting to seize the workers' personel belongings.
Gözaltına alınıyoruz!
— Bağımsız Maden İş (@bagimsizmadenis) October 15, 2024
Açlık grevimizin 2. günü biterken polis saldırısına uğradık. Bakanlıklara, Meclis'e gitmek istedik izin vermediniz, Fernas önüne gitmek istedik izin vermediniz. Şimdi de oturmamıza izin verilmiyor.
Sessizce ölüp gidelim mi?#MadencilerKazansın pic.twitter.com/Wip0EX4j1U
The workers were taken into for "endangering public safety." Among those detained were four executives of the union.
The protests began after dozens of miners employed by Fernas Mining, a Manisa-based company owned by ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Ferhat Nasıroğlu, were laid off in August for joining the union. In response, the workers launched demonstrations calling for their reinstatement and demanding that the company implement essential safety measures in the hazardous mines.
Union exposes dangerous conditions at mine owned by ruling party MP
On Oct 2, the miners escalated their protest by moving to Ankara, where they set up tents in Kurtuluş Park, located in the city’s central Çankaya district. On Oct 10, they marched barefoot to the parliament in an attempt to draw attention to their demands.
With no response to their demands, the workers began a hunger strike on Oct 14. (VK)