[Amsterdam] Demonstratie in solidariteit met Nuriye Gülmen en Semih Özakça

Since the failed coup attempt in June 2016 in Turkey, several Statutory Decrees were issued under The State of Emergency. More than 120 000 academics, teachers, civil servants have been dismissed from their duties without any investigation or prosecution. They have been banned from public service for lifetime since they were listed on the Statutory Decrees issued at nights. 7 916 scholars (452 amongst them belonging to the Academics for Peace) and 33 990 teachers have lost their jobs.

Under the above mentioned decrees they have no right for any legal objections and their passports are confiscated. Nuriye Gülmen, a research assistant in university and Semih Özakça, a primary school teacher were expelled from their posts with such a late night Statutory Decree. After resisting for more than 9 months and being arrested 27 times, they started a hunger strike to claim their jobs back in front of Yüksel Avenue Human Rights Monument in the city centre of Ankara. They entered today the 118th day of a hunger (on July 5th). They demand their jobs back, they demand their students back, they demand their dignity back.

We will gather on Sunday the 9th of July 2017 at the Dam Square in Amsterdam between 13.00-15.00 hours to show our solidarity with Nuriye and Semih together with many of our colleagues in Turkey and abroad and raise our voice: "Nuriye Gülmen and Semih Özakça are not alone!" We are holding this gathering, because the hunger strike has reached a critical threshold and we are deeply concerned about the lives of our colleagues.

We are gathering on Sunday the 9th of July 2017, because we support the rightful demands of our friends with our own firm belief in that every person deserves a decent life, with our desire to live together in peace, with all pro-democracy forces, with the critical and creative people in this country and with our claim for peace and solidarity. We support life! We have witnessed people committing suicide, because they lost their jobs and their hopes.

Our goals with this gathering are:

• We call for an end to these unfair dismissals.
• We demand that all public employees who unfairly and unlawfully lost their jobs are immediately returned to their jobs!
• We call on Dutch left, academia and citizens not to be silent about violations of rights and freedom of speech in Turkey and show solidarity.

Please, show Nuriye and Semih your support and join us with this gathering on:

Date: Sunday 9th of July 2017
Location: Amsterdam Dam Square (Dam Plein)
Time: 13.00-15.00 hours

We are here today to support life, not death!

A group of Academics for Peace Amsterdam Organizing committees and supporting organisations for the gathering on Sunday the 9th of July 2017: