SOLIDARITY WITH CUPE MEMBER IN PRISON IN TURKEY

 

Last September CUPE member Cihan Erdal went to Turkey to conduct research.  Employed by Carleton University in Ottawa, Cihan is a PhD student, a sociologist, an academic, youth researcher, peace and LGBTI+ activist, and a member of CUPE 4600.   And he has been a prisoner in a Turkish jail for 10 months.  Think about that for a second.   If you have heard Cihan’s story and want to help by sending a protest message to the Turkish government just click HERE.  Otherwise please read on.   Cihan is imprisoned because he was, 7 years ago, a member of the People's Democratic Party in Turkey (HDP in Turkish). The HDP was and is a legal political party that opposes many of the policies of the current Turkish government. The evidence against him? 2 social media posts.   CUPE and LabourStart are working to get him home to Canada.  Cihan’s union has been pressuring the Canadian government to do more to get him released.  LabourStart (this is where you come in) is trying to ensure that the Turkish government knows that its actions are being watched and that Cihan knows that he has not been forgotten.  At CUPE's request we are running THIS campaign.   At this point I could appeal to all the CUPE members on our mailing list.  Or to all the university workers.  Or to everyone who can imagine what it must be like to spend 10 months and counting in a Turkish prison.  But really, do I need to?   Take just a few seconds and send a protest message in solidarity with Cihan.  Help get him back to Omer, his partner, and their home in Ottawa.  And tell Cihan that he hasn’t been forgotten and that thousands of Canadians want him released.   Please.  Click HERE, Send some solidarity his way. To learn more about Cihan's situation listen to this RadioLabour interview with his partner Omer Ongun  HERE. In Solidarity, Derek Blackadder LabourStart Canada