The political campaign started by the Socialist Platform of the Oppressed ( ESP ) against the attacks of the fascist dictatorship targeting the democratic organizations and press, socialists and revolutionaries is growing and spreading to many cities of Turkey and Northern Kurdistan.

In the framework of the campaign, the activists of ESP carried the newspaper Atilim to the workers and labourers by selling it in the streets and visiting houses in different neighbourhoods of Istanbul. They painted slogans on the walls such as “The hope is still on its feet!”, “ESP never remained silent and will never remain silent!” and “We founded it under fire and gunpowder, we will defend it against the fascist attacks!”

In the workers’ district 1 Mayis in Istanbul, ESP, SDP , SGD and the magazines “Isci Koylu”, “Koz” and “Alinteri” showed a good example of revolutionary solidarity by selling the newspaper Atilim together in the streets on 19 October, shouting the slogans “Atilim never remained silent and will never remain silent!”, “Long live revolutionary solidarity!”, “the new Anti-terror law should be cancelled!”.

In Antep, the ESP activists who were distributing leaflets in the city centre were stopped by the agents from the Anti-terror Department and beaten by them with the pretext of asking for identity cards. Despite these kind of attacks, the activists continue being in the streets and wearing the T-shirts with the slogan “We want freedom”, in order to enlighten the workers and labourers about the state’s terror.

Also in Bursa, Adana and the other cities, the campaign “We want freedom!” continues with street-sales of the newspaper and other propaganda activities in the streets, open markets, city-centres, districts and everywhere possible.

Revolutionary solidarity in Ankara against the Anti-terror Law

The Ankara branches of the trade-union confederations KESK and DISK , the unions BES , Yapi-Yol Sen and SES , Human Rights Association, Association of “Those of ‘78”, Doctors’ Chamber, ESP and the Labouring Women’s Association organized a press declaration in the street on 19 October in Yuksel Street/Ankara. In the action, it was expressed that thought will continue to be considered as a crime and it will be a dream to speak about the basic human rights and freedom of organising, if the new Anti-terror Law continue to be in force. 150 people who participated in the action shouted the slogans “the new Anti-terror law should be cancelled!” and “The repression cannot intimidate us!” After the action, they visited the ESP office in Ankara.

The workers defend their union

The dockyard workers published and distributed the letters from the prison sent by Cem Dinc, the General President of the union Limter-Is , Zafer Tektas, the General Secretary of the union and Ozcan Dilekli, a dockyard worker. The workers stated in their speeches that the state had attacked to the union Limter-Is because of its struggle against the bad working conditions in the dockyards, against the labour “accidents” (which, in fact, we can express as “murders”), and against working without insurance and with low salaries. And they called the workers to support the union.

7 activists of ESP are released

On the other hand, 7 activists of ESP who were imprisoned on 30 March 2006 in Sivas and Antep for having worked for ESP were released on 19 October.