Call for International Solidarity Actions on 24 January 2013
The Global Young Greens would like to declare their solidarity with the sociologist, writer and human rights activist Pınar Selek, who has been struggling against court proceedings in Turkey for nearly one and a half decades to this day. We strongly support all international solidarity actions on 24 January 2013, the next day of hearing in the trial against her.
Pınar Selek, well-known for her work on minority rights in Turkey, came under suspicion of terrorism after investigations about the PKK. Back then she was arrested and severely abused on a charge of propaganda work for the PKK and an alleged accomplice for an explosion that occured at the Spice Bazaar in Istanbul. After spending two and a half years in prison and having been acquitted of any wrongdoing on three occasions in 2006, 2008 and 2011, a judge of the same court decided to amend these decisions and reopen her trial.
The Global Young Greens are afraid that the decision to review her case is solely aimed at eventually pronouncing the sentence legally. This procedure suggests the assumption that the verdict against her has been a foregone conclusion for certain circles within the Turkish justice system since her arrest in 1998. We therefore appeal to the international public to show their solidarity and also to organize solidarity actions on 24 January, the next day of hearing in the trial against Pınar Selek.
Photos CC-BY Streetpepper and CC-BY-SA NordNordWest and Uwe Dedering
