Free Erdogan! No Extradition!

by pat c Fri Nov 03, 2006 15:54

This contains more details about and background to the case.

Switzerland: Stop Extradition to a State that uses torture

This picket today was called as part of an international day of action in opposition to the Swiss Governments threatened expulsion of a political refugee, Erdogan Elmas, who has lived in Switzerland for 9 years, to Turkey. Turkey is in the early stages of becoming an EU member and has a long history of persecuting opposition activists who have fled its brutal regime.

Erdogan Elmas had participated in the revolutionary struggle in Turkey until he was forced to flee at the age of 16 to Switzerland as a result of the imprisonment and torture of a number of his friends. Such a situation would normally lead to asylum being granted immediately. Erdogan however, was accepted only temporarily and now, 9 years later, he is arrested and threatened with expulsion because Turkey has claimed that he killed a police man. Erdogan denies the accusations made against him, all testimonies having been made demonstrably under torture. In spite of this, the Swiss Federal Judiciary Office still recommends his expulsion to Turkey, in contravention of the anti torture convention.

A similar case is that of Dursun Güner, Turkey having enacted an international warrant for his arrest, and even though he received asylum in Switzerland and Italy, also faces expulsion at this time.

The supporters of Dursun and Erdogan have called upon activists around the globe to join with them in their international day of solidarity on this day.

For further information: Alliance against Expulsion and Extradition to Turkey;

http://www.free-erdogan.ch.vu

http://www.auslieferungen-stopp.ch

by pat c Thu Nov 09, 2006 16:10

A lively protest made its prescence felt outside the Swiss Embassy last Saturday. It certainly attracted enough Garda attention. Two Special Branch, five Gardaí and three cars.

by Jiang Qing Fri Nov 10, 2006 18:20

On Saturday 4th November, a protest took place outside the Swiss Embassy in Dublin. This protest was part of the International Day of Solidarity against the extradition and expulsion of activists, in contravention of the Anti-Torture convention. Over a dozen people held placards denouncing the Swiss Government's inhuman and illegal treatment of Kurdish and Turkish comrades. Leaflets were distributed to passers-by outlining the background to the protest and, in particular, the cases of Ergodon and Dursun.

The protest attracted the attention of the police both uniformed and
under-cover, who continued surveillance of the protesters for the duration of the picket.

Irish comrades send greetings of support and solidarity to all our comrades engaged in revolutionary struggle and wish you well on your struggle against the reactionary deportation policies of the Swiss Government.