- Title: Protest erupts in Turkey against detention of hunger-striking teachers
- Date: 22nd May 2017
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (MAY 22, 2017) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERING AND CHANTING SLOGANS RIOT POLICE DETAINING FEMALE PROTESTER VARIOUS OF RIOT POLICE DRAGGING PROTESTERS DOWN THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PROTESTER, NEVBAHAR GUL, SAYING: "Last night, on the 75th day of their hunger strike, police brutally detained Nuriye (Gulmen) and Semih (Ozakca) and said they have a warrant to detain them. We are concerned about their health. We are concerned about the forceful intervention. That's why we are here today." RIOT POLICE CARRYING PERSON DOWN THE STREET RIOT POLICE DRAGGING WOMEN DOWN THE STREET (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PROTESTER, SERHAT GENIS, SAYING: "We can say what is happening here has nothing to with democracy, especially with universal democracy. It's impossible to understand this. This scene happening here in central Ankara, in Yuksel Street, shows that those who are ruling the country don't have the ability to rule (us) at all." VARIOUS OF RIOT POLICE DETAINING PROTESTERS AND MOVING THEM INTO A VAN RIOT POLICE WALKING ON STREET
- Embargoed: 5th June 2017 17:22
- Keywords: detainees security politics coup purge Turkey Nuriye Gulmen Semih Ozakca hunger strike
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016HX9AVB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkish police detained two teachers overnight who have been on hunger strike for more than two months protesting against a government crackdown in which they lost their jobs following last year's failed coup, their lawyers said on Monday (May 22).
Around 150 people took the street in the Turkish capital of Ankara, chanting for workers' rights, as news spread about the detention of literature professor Nuriye Gulmen and primary school teacher Semih Ozakca.
Some demonstrators were dragged away by riot police and detained, but others returned shortly afterwards trying to maintain their protest.
The teachers have said their hunger strike aimed to highlight the plight of around 150,000 state employees suspended or sacked after the July 2016 putsch, which President Tayyip Erdogan blames on followers of U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen.
A lawyer representing the teachers said Turkish police detained them because they feared "that their protest could turn into death fasts and new Gezi protests" referring to the large anti-government demonstrations four years ago, when hundreds of thousands of people protested against plans to build replica Ottoman barracks on Gezi park in central Istanbul. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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