Solidarity with DIP women spreads like wildfire!

Six women members of the Revolutionary Workers’ Party (DIP) of Turkey are being persecuted for their activity around the International Working Women’s Day. On 6 March 2016, the six women were distributing a DIP leaflet appealing to women to join the action to be held on women’s day in the main square of Çorlu, an industrial working class city west of Istanbul, when police took them under custody because there was reference to state repression of Kurdish women in the text of the leaflet. The public prosecutor later indicted our comrades on the basis of the Anti-Terrorism Act for support to and propaganda of terrorism.

The court case opened at the Assize Court of Çorlu last Thursday, 26 May 2016. The first hearing of the trial was a big success for the defence. The six defendants, young women whose ages range from 19 to 35, put up a courageous example of  political defence, stressing the commitment of DIP to women’s liberation all around the world and the support that DIP extends to the rightful struggle of the Kurdish people for its legitimate rights. The defendants were unrepentant and gave statements that acted as unambiguous instances of political defence on their part.

The lawyers pointed out that the leaflet for which the women of DIP were being indicted was an official statement of the party and openly claimed by the party centre, which implies that the case should go to the Constitutional Court, which alone is powered to try political parties for supposed criminal offences. They therefore demanded that the court declare it is incompetent to oversee the case. In addition, on the substance of the case, they pointed out that the women of DIP expressed outrage and solidarity in the face of the scores of cases of humiliation of Kurdish women by the Turkish “security forces” and that, in the final analysis, what the court case really was making a target was solidarity between women of different peoples (Turkish and Kurdish), solidarity for which DIP women stood resolutely. The lawyers also quoted verbatim statements by many different spokespeople of the AKP, including many members of the council of ministers to the effect that Abdullah Ocalan and the PKK pursued visionary policies that inspired a new dawn for the Middle East and a statement by Tayyip Erdogan from the 1990s in which he says one should be as much against state terrorism as one is against the PKK! On the basis of these and other evidence, the defence lawyers demanded immediate acquittal, in case the former procedural demand was not granted.

The prosecution was cornered and asked for additional time to reflect on two counts (the demand for refusal of jurisdiction by the court and, in case this is not granted, the demand for immediate acquittal). The trial was adjourned to 13 June, when prosecution will present their final position on the case and the DIP lawyers will respond to that final assessment. This will then lead to the final decision of the court, most probably on the same day.

During their intervention, the lawyers presented to the court a copy of a publicity advertisement in a left-wing daily that carried the petition of our foreign friends and comrades with the signatures of hundreds of comrades and friends from around the world. We think that the success of the trial also depends on that support and we thank everyone who subscribed to this petition and, even more so, those who established the link to many of these people. 

Petition

Six women members of the Revolutionary Workers’ Party (DIP) of Turkey are being persecuted for their activity regarding the 8 March Women’s Day. They are now being tried in court for “support to and propaganda of terrorism” simply because they have expressed solidarity with Kurdish women brazenly repressed and humiliated by security forces.

On 6 March 2016, the six women were distributing a DIP leaflet appealing to women to join the action to be held on women’s day in the main square of Çorlu, an industrial working class city west of Istanbul, when police took them under custody because there was reference to state repression of Kurdish women in the text of the leaflet. The public prosecutor later indicted the six women and the court case is opening at the Assize Court of Çorlu next Thursday, 26 May 2016.

The allegation of “support to and propaganda of terrorism” is a judgment of mere intent. After having touched upon a series of forms of women’s oppression, the DIP leaflet then points out that some months ago, within the context of the war stepped up by Tayyip Erdoğan and the AKP since last summer, the naked body of a Kurdish woman guerrilla had been dumped in the midst of a Kurdish city for display to the public, so as to sow terror amongst the population. The leaflet severely condemns this brazen act of humiliation of women, expresses solidarity with Kurdish women subjected to this and similar other acts of aggression, and salutes the struggle of Kurdish women engaged in self-defence against such practice on the part of security forces. It was this that the prosecutor immediately labelled as support to and propaganda for terrorism.

In its struggle against women’s oppression and for women’s liberation, in the face of a tremendous increase in violence against women in Turkey in recent years, the DIP has systematically called for “self-defence groups” composed of women to fight violence against women, both in the Western parts of the country, in the industrial heartlands amongst working women and on campuses for female students and, quite naturally, also in the Kurdish regions of the country. The fact that it is security forces that have committed this brutal denigration of women does not make this demand any less urgent, but, if anything, even more so.

The court case against the six DIP women is a case of attempted repression of women’s struggle against oppression, of solidarity between the Turkish and Kurdish peoples and of the struggle of DIP for a just and free society.

We call on the Turkish judiciary to drop all charges against these women fighting women’s oppression and for the legitimate rights of the Kurdish people. 

Name, Affiliation, Country

Nancy Holmstrom, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy, USA

Eleni Varikas, Professor of Politics and Gender Studies, France

Rada Ivekovic, Professor of Philosophy, France

Ana Bazac, Professor of Philosophy, Romania

Samir Amin, Professor of Economics, Egypt-France-Senegal

Michel Löwy, Director Emeritus of Research, CNRS, France

Sharon Leder, Dr., President of Feminists Against Academic Discrimination, USA

Feminists for Another Europe

Savas Michael-Matsas, General Secretary of the EEK, Department of  Communication and Mass Media of  the University of Athens, Greece

Thodoros Koutsoumbos, Journalist, Chief Editor of the newspaper  NEA PROOPTIKH, Greece

Yannis Aggelis, Journalist, member of the Executive of the Union of Journalists of Athens, Greece

Katerina Matsa, Psychiatrist, Editor of the Psychiatry Notebooks, head of the  Drug Addiction Department of the Psychiatric Hospital of Attica, Greece

Judit Morva, Economist, Hungary

Alexander Buzghalin, Professor, Movement Alternativi, Russian Federation

Ludmila Bulavka, Professor, Movement Alternativi, Russian Federation

Maria Komninos, Professor of Mass Media, Greece

Bertell Ollman, Professor of political science, USA

Osvaldo Coggiola, Professor of History, Brasil

Roberto Yépez, Opción Obrera, Venezuella

Jorge Altamira, Partido Obrero, Argentina

Nestor Pitrola, Member of Federal Parliament (Partido Obrero), Argentina

Soledad Sosa, Member of Federal Parliament (Partido Obrero), Argentina

Pablo Lopez, Member of Federal Parliament (Partido Obrero), Argentina

Flavia Oregon, International Secretary, Unity List, Denmark

Rafaél Fernandez, Partido de los Trabajadores, Uruguay

Marios Begzos, Professor of Philosophy of Religion, Greece

Dr. Tatiana Filimonova, Dr., Plakhanov House, Russian Federation

Bernard Founou Tchuigoua, Third World Forum, Senegal-Cameroun

Mikhail.B Konashev, Professor, Member of the Academy of Social Sciences, Russian Federation

Donatella Ascoli, Regional Steering Committe, CGIL Veneto, Italy

Carlo Ghezzi, President of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Domenico Moccia, Vice President of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Roberta Papi, Vice President of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Antonio Iovito, Member of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Andrea Righi, Member of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Franco Grisolia, Member of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Rossano Rossi, Member of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Maurizio Fabbri, Member of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Kurosh Danesh, Member of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Lorenzo Centenari, Member of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Laura Bongiovanni, Member of National Committee of Union of Insurance Workers, CGIL, Italy

Enrico Pellegrini, Provincial Steering Committee CGIL Venice, Italy

Stefano Fontana, Provincial Steering Committee, FIOM, CGIL Venice, Italy

Stefano D'Intinosante, Provincial Steering Committee CGIL Treviso, Italy

Antonino Marceca, Regional Steering Committee, Public Sector CGIL, Veneto, Italy

Alessandro Busetto, Provincial head of the Union CUB Public Sector, Università Cà Foscari, Venice, Italy

Alessandro Borin, Regional head of the Autonomous Union of Transport Workers, FAOAI Veneto, Italy

Solidarity Iniative of Employed, Unemployed and Flexible Workers of Heraklion, Greece

Refugee/Immigrant Housing Squat Notara 26, Greece

Douglas Raybeck, Professor of Anthropology, Hamilton College, USA

Roslyn Feldberg, PhD Associate, Center for Women and Work University of Massachusetts/Lowell, USA

Julie Boddy, Professor of History, USA

Barry Weisleder, Federal secretary, Socialist Action, Ligue pour l'Action socialiste, Canada

Calliope Rigopoulou, Professor, Department of Communication and Mass Media, University of Athens, Greece

Ioannis Andreadis, Professor Emeritus, Panteion University of Athens, Greece

Daria Mitina, Secretary of International relations of teh United Communist party of Russian Federation, Russian Federation

Said Gafourov, Economist and Journalist, Moscow, Russian Federation

Attila Melegh, Professor of sociology, Corvinus University, Budapest, Hungary

Matyas Benyik, Economist, Board Member of Karl Marx Society, Hungary

Bob Stone, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, Long Island University, co-founder, Center for Global Justice, San Miguel Allende, Mexico

Susan Weissman, Professor of Politics, Saint Mary's College of CA, USA

Robert Brenner, Professor of History, Director of Center for Social Theory and Comparative History, UCLA, USA

Vivek Chibber, New York Üniversitesi, Sosyoloji Bölümü, Profesör, USA

Claudio Katz, Professor of Economics, University of Buenos Aires and researcher at the National Council of Science and Technology, Argentina

Rossen Djagalov, New York University, Department of Russian and Slavic Studies, Assistant professor, USA

Joel Andreas, Department of Sociology, Johns Hopkins University, Associate Professor, USA

Michael Levien, Department of Sociology, Johns Hopkins University, Assistant Professor, USA

Julie Matthaei, Professor of Economics, Wellesley College, Massachusetts, USA

Ewa Groszewska, Sociologist, Association Cooperation between South and East, Poland

Monika Karbowska, Social Forum of East and Central Europe, Poland -France

Piotr Lewandowski, Association Cooperation between South and East, Poland

 Ewa Gąsowska, Association Cooperation between South and East, Poland

Sotiria Zouka, Psychologist, Greece

Alexis Nassati, Unemployed, Greece

MTL, Trotskyist organization, member of CRFI, Finland

Radical Left of Oulu, Study circle, Finland

Dimitris Mizaras, Teacher, Finland

Juha Tapio, Lecturer, Finland

Nan Wiegersma          Hatfield, USA

Popi Christodoulidou, Journalist, member of the executive of  EDOEAP ( Social Security Fund of Greek Journalists), Greece

Kostas Avramidis, Member of the executive of thr Union of Employees in the Technical Institute of Greece, Greece

Iosif Abramson, Professor of Physical Technologies, RPK, Russia

Yevgeny Kozlov, PhD Historian, RPK, Russia

Victor Тyulkin, Victor ТyulThe Secretary of  RKRP  CC, Russia

Vladimir Soloveychik, Journalist, Russia

Yury Simonov, International Association of Inhabitants (IAI), Russia

Rouslan Kostyuk, Professor of History, Russia

David Epstein, Professor  of  Economy, Russia

David Mogilevsky, PhD of Physics and Mathematics, AMO, Russia

Alexey Sakhnin, PhD of History,  Left Front, Russia

Yury Larionov, RPK, Russia

Viacheslav Kuznetsov, PhD of Technology Studies, Manager, RPK, Russia

Alvaro Augusto Comin, Department of Sociology, University of São Paulo, Brazil

Alex Steiner, Editor, Http://permanent-revolution.org, USA

Αntoinetta Angelidi, Film Director, Greece

Rea Wallden, PhD in Philosophy, Greece

Francesco Doro, Central Committtee, FIOM CGIL, Italy

Gioele Costantini, Provincial Coordinator of PCL, Section of Venice “Piero Tresso, Italy

Maurizio Freschi, Candidate for Mayor for PCL in the commune of Oderzo (province of Treviso), Italy

Diego Ardissono, university student, militant of PCL, Italy

Roberto Rossi, Provincial coordinator of PCL, Vicenza section, Italy

Roberto Galvanin, Union representative of USB Stefani SPA, Vicenza, Italy

Giovanni Urioni, Steering committee FLC e CGIL, Pordenone, Italy

Francesco Moisio, Director UNITÀ DI CLASSE (the monthly magazine of PCL), Italy

Dario Zurlo, student, militant of PCLstudente militante del PCL, Italy

Marco Bedendo, university student, militant of PCLstudente universitario militante del PCL, Italy

Guido Belle, Sympathiser of Simpatizzante PCL, Italy

Claudio Bettelle, member ofiscritto PCL, Italy

Collettivo Universitario RedAnt, Italy

Alessandra Marchetti, Italy

Eliana Como, CD naz CGIL, Italy

Mario Iavazzi, CD naz CGIL, Italy

Kalle Aalto, Carpenter, Finland

Paula Maria Halkola, Business Administration, Administration Assistant (population information System), Finland

Ritva Jääskeläinen, Public servant, Finland

Tapio Laurinolli, Patent attorney (retired), Finland

Taru-Carita Pullinen, Visual artist, Finland

K. Durppo, nursery worker, Finland

Jani Poimala, Social Worker, Finland

Henri Häkkinen, Student, Finland

Esa Hautamäki, Unemployed, Finland

Sabir Saleh, Interpreter, Finland

Ashti Ismail, Teacher, Finland

Matti Aalto, Construction worker, Finland

Svante Malmström, Carpenter, Finland

Jukka Isokoski, Photographer, cameraman, Finland

Kirsi Marttila, Economist, Finland

Henri Rauhala, Environmental Specialist, Finland

Mari Moghaddam, Biochemist, Finland

Matias Messonen, Practical Nurse, Finland

Habib Gholami, Finland

Ali Mahebi, Finland

Veera Vitikka, Student, Finland

Nahdi Aislagi, Finland

Ville V., Student, Finland

Saana L., Nurse, Finland

Helena Karjalainen, Supervisor, Finland

Maari Vesperi, Optician, Finland

Iida Jurvansuu, Student, Finland

Mikael Pe., Student, Finland

Elina Heikkala, Student, Finland

Paula Lym., Designer, Finland

Laisth Jasmin, Finland

Kaarina Kailo, Dr. of philosophy, University Professor, Finland

Irini Koziraki, Civil engineer, Greece

Eva Mantzari, unemployed, Greece

Nikolaos Spanoudakis, Unemployed, Greece

Charalampos Dramountanis, Student, Greece

Erofili Anastassaki, Worker, Greece

Marina Deligiannaki, Musician, Greece

Pinelopi Georgiou, Unemployed, Greece

Katerina Sofoulaki, Engineer, Greece

Eirini Karousi, Unemployed, Greece

Theocharis Pelekidis, Office clerk, Greece

Giorgos Papoutsis, Clerk, Greece

Konstantinos Kazantizakis, Member of the union of temporary archeologists SEKA, Greece

Antigoni Trouli, Member of the board of the Teachers’ Union ELME of Heraklion, Greece

Marina Ikonomaki, Teacher, Greece

Giorgos Koulis, Builder, Greece

Nikos Zampoulakis, Teacher – member of the local board of Heraklion of the federation of public empoyees, Greece

Giorgos Paipakopoulos, Student, Greece

Leonidas Maroulis, Student, Greece

Leonidas Christodoulos, Student, Greece

Antonis Antakopoulos, Survey engineer, Greece

Giannis Levendis, Lawyer, Greece

Katerina Savaki, Clerk, Greece

Manolis Kokolakis, Freelance professional, Greece

Andreas Anastassakis, Public servant, Greece

Argiri Chalkiadaki, Teacher, Greece

Ioanna Kalemaki, Teacher, Greece

Maria Stamataki, Teacher, Greece

Katerina Magiopoulou, Teacher, Greece

Georgia Mauragaki, Teacher, Greece

Karolina Kanelou, Teacher, Greece

Stelios Kondilis, Teacher, Greece

Irini Tsaima, Teacher, Greece

Irini Vazeou, Teacher, Greece

Stavros Papadakis, Teacher, Greece

Nikos Ilias, Teacher, Greece

Vaggelio Vekraki, Cleaner, Greece

Miron Vrisimitzakis, Janitor, Greece

Aristidis Velidakis, Teacher, Greece

Emmanouela Kokovaki, Dance teacher, Greece

Giannis Koutsakis, Teacher, Greece

Elpinki Loli, Student, Greece

Christina Palisidou, Student, Greece

Tassos Titakis, Teacher, Greece

Miron Papadakis, Accountant, Greece

Kostas Kirmounidis, unemployed, Greece

Georgios Flergianos, Lawyer, Greece

Emmanouil Karantemiris, Retired, Greece

Ilektra Toulinou          unemployed, Greece

Minas Manolikakis, Student, Greece

Sofia Paneri, Student, Greece

Michalis Giannious, Student, Greece

Natalia Andrianou, English teacher, Greece

Katerina Mitrovgeni, unemployed, Greece

Panos Loukissas, Student, Greece

Eleni Tsopou, Freelance professional, Greece

Kostas Mpaltas, Clerk, Greece

Stefanos Stouraitis, Student, Greece

Thalia Trakaki, Architect engineer, Greece

Eleni Kalossinaki, Office clerk, Greece

Kallia Kokolaki, Retired, Greece

Kostas Bralikis, Clerk, Greece

Kostas Vlachakis, Clerk, Greece

Hassan Oglu Arif, unemployed, Greece

Vassilis Louladakis, Student, Greece

Maria Vrachnaki, unemployed, Greece

Giorgos Charitos, Architect, Greece

Giorgos Anastassakis, Merchant, Greece

Marina Chatzaki, Student, Greece

Georgia Stivaktkai, Student, Greece

Panagiotis Georgiakakis, Biologist, Greece

Konstantinos Goumas, Student, Greece

Gaelle Sivager, Employment concellor, Greece

Giannis Kouroupakis, Clerk, Greece

Nikos Metaxarakis, Clerk, Greece

Ismael Sezer, Clerk, Greece

Kostas Vlachakis, Technical worker, Greece

Despina Christodoulou, Clerk, Greece

Maria Panagi, Clerk, Greece

Giorgos Iakovitis, Student, Greece

Maria Vrachnaki, Dentist, Greece

Stavroula Christodoulopoulou, Dancer, Greece

Vassilis Aretakis, Student, Greece

Giorgos Mazitsos, Teacher, Greece

Achillleas Dannalis, Student, Greece

Emanouella Baggeri, Student, Greece

Giorgos Bokalakis, Archeologist, Greece

Poppi Manassaki, Teacher, Greece

Dimitrios Komninakidis, Teacher, Greece

Maria Kopidaki, Teacher, Greece

Tilemachos Griniezakis, Teacher, Greece

Aspa Sampali, Trainer, Greece

Ioanna Tillianaki, Teacher, Greece

Nikolaos Foundoulakis, Informatics teacher, Greece

Stefania Lemonaki, Teacher, Greece

Ernestos Aggelis, Teacher, Greece