Tag Archives: Solidarity

News

Lesvos Emergency: Pikpa camp calls for urgent action to decongest the island

Press Release by Pikpa Camp from June 1st 

On Friday afternoon 25 May 2018, intense fighting broke out at Moria camp, leaving many people injured. A group of around 70 refugees, including many families with young children and several injured people, fled the violence and found refuge in a park in Mytilini. Some injured people were transferred to the hospital by ambulance. The police did not allow the group to stay in the park out of fear for racist attacks. The refugees refused to return to Moria camp stating they feared for their lives. The police insisted for the team of Pikpa to host the people in Pikpa camp that night and guaranteed that the next day the families will be transferred to Kara Tepe. The Pikpa team was determined not to allow escalation of racist and fascist attacks in town and the police transferred the people to Pikpa.

Continue reading Lesvos Emergency: Pikpa camp calls for urgent action to decongest the island →

News

Humanitarian workers acquitted of ‘crime’ of helping refugees

Via New Internationalist – After a two-year wait, five humanitarian volunteers who wanted to help refugees land safely have been acquitted. Tim Baster and Isabelle Merminod report from Lesbos

As the judge announced her decision late in the afternoon, there was a pause in the court in Mytilini, the capital of the Greek island of Lesbos, as translators did their work. Then the packed public gallery erupted. Some 50 cheering and clapping spectators invaded the stuffy court room, pushing aside startled policemen and court officials.

Two humanitarian volunteers from Denmark, Salam Aldeen and Mohammad Abbassi and three from Spain, Enrique Rodríguez, Manuel Blanco and Julio Latorre, arrested on 14 January 2016, had been finally acquitted of the charge of attempting to traffic asylum seekers. The volunteers came from the Spanish PROEM-AID and the Danish Team Humanity,two of the many humanitarian NGOs working to help people arrive safely in Lesbos. The three Spanish volunteers are professional firefighters.

Salam Aldeen handing a child who had been rescued from the dinghy to other volunteers. Volunteers take care of the children, until the parents manage one by one to leave the boat. 16 December 2015, Lesbos, Greece.
Salam Aldeen handing a child who had been rescued from the dinghy to other volunteers. Volunteers take care of the children, until the parents manage one by one to leave the boat. 16 December 2015, Lesbos, Greece. All photos: (c) Isabelle Merminod

Continue reading Humanitarian workers acquitted of ‘crime’ of helping refugees →

News

Memorial to remember victims of shipwreck off Lesvos on 24th of April 2017

Via W2EU Infomobile – On 24 of April 2018 one year had passed since 22 people among them two children lost their lives in the boat accident north of Lesvos. Rescue teams managed many hours later to rescue two women alive, one of them pregnant in the 8th month.

Sylvie and Joelle and the little girl Victoria, born in Mitilini just one month later, came again to Lesvos to remember this year. Together with the rescue teams of Refugee Rescue / Mo chara and with the activists from Watch the Med Alarm Phone and Welcome to Europe they returned to the place the rescued women and also the dead bodies had been brought one year ago.

Foto: Marily Stroux

Also the spotting teams who still care every night at the beaches to spot boats on the way from the Turkish to the Greek side, Lighthouse relief and The Hope Project, joined the invitation to the three women.

On 22nd of April we travelled with the survivors on the ferry to Lesvos. At the ships restaurant we introduced them and their story to the crew who have been really touched to have survivors on board. Continue reading Memorial to remember victims of shipwreck off Lesvos on 24th of April 2017 →

Monitoring the EU-Turkey Deal, News

Moria 35 Trial Ends in Conviction of 32 – But After 9 Months of Unjust Detention, the 35 will Finally be Free!

Press release by Legal Center Lesbos, 28.04.2018 – While all 35 defendants should soon be released from detention, a gross miscarriage of justice took place today at the Mixed Jury Court in Chios, Greece where a ruling of guilty was declared against 32 of the 35 defendants. The 35 were arbitrarily and violently arrested in Moria camp in Lesvos on 18 July 2017 following what started as a peaceful protest outside of an EASO office. This inherently unsafe verdict, reached despite an overwhelming lack of evidence, follows a week long trial which continuously violated fundamental principles of a fair trial under Article 6 of the European Convention of Human Rights and brings into serious question the impartiality of both the Judges and Prosecutor in the case. Continue reading Moria 35 Trial Ends in Conviction of 32 – But After 9 Months of Unjust Detention, the 35 will Finally be Free! →

Monitoring the EU-Turkey Deal, News

Op-Ed: Moria 35 – Trial at the Gates of Fortress Europe

Via ECRE – Op-ed by Carlos Orjuela and Lorraine Leete of Legal Centre Lesbos.

“On the 20 April, we are scheduled to attend trial in Chios after waiting nine months, trapped on Lesvos, while 30 of our brothers unjustly have waited in prison for this same time period.  Our humanity has been denied since we stepped foot in Europe, the supposed cradle of democracy and human rights. . . We are treated like criminals, simply for crossing a border that Europeans can freely cross.” An excerpt from the Statement by 5 of the Moria 35 Defendants.

Op-Ed: Moria 35 – Trial at the Gates of Fortress Europe

 

Today begins the trial of the Moria 35, which will determine the fate of 35 individuals arrested following a protest outside the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) in Moria Refugee Camp on 18 July 2017. The stakes are high in this inherently political trial. The 35 face criminal charges for which they may receive 10 years in prison and probable deportation if found guilty.
Continue reading Op-Ed: Moria 35 – Trial at the Gates of Fortress Europe →

News

Social Center Kapılar in Izmir needs financial support!

Kapılar is a unique community hub in the heart of the Basmane district in Izmir, Turkey. It is a bustling social centre where people meet and organise to make friends and share skills and knowledge.  As an independent organisation, they rely solely on private donations from friends and those who support our work, both in Turkey and abroad. Now, they ask for support to help continue their vital work and projects in 2018!

*** Click here to proceed to the Fundraising page *** Continue reading Social Center Kapılar in Izmir needs financial support! →

Monitoring the EU-Turkey Deal, News

Information on what to do in case of Interceptions or Readmission/ Deportation to Turkey

Welcome2Europe updated their information on Turkey and added information for migrants who have been intercepted back to Turkey at sea or land and for those who have been readmitted/deported to Turkey from Greece.

For now the information are available in English. Arabic, Farsi and French will follow soon.

Click here for the PDF version

News

Migrant solidarity network on the resistance of saya-workers across Turkey

Via Migrant Solidarity Network – There has been news coming related to the strikes of saya (shoe-upper) workers from all corners of Turkey since more than a month. Saya workers organized boycotts and strikes in many cities from Konya to Manisa, from İzmir to Adana and from İstanbul to Antep because of following reasons: Non-covered employment without job security, bad working conditions and long working hours and ill-payments etc. Continue reading Migrant solidarity network on the resistance of saya-workers across Turkey →

News

Shoe Workers Went on Strike Across Turkey

The resistance started in Adana in September 2017 and spread to İstanbul, Gaziantep, Konya, İzmir and Manisa within a few days. In almost all cities, the resistance resulted in the victory of the workers. The solidarity between Syrian and Turkish workers is the prominent character of this strike. [1]

The workers went on strike with the demands of 25% wage increase, 10% wage increase each year and the demand that Syrian workers – who take the lowest wage among the shoe workers- must be given the same wage as given to the rest of the shoe workers. [2]

The resistance of Turkish, Kurdish and Syrian shoe workers against labor exploitation – uninsured, unsecured and low-paying working conditions- has been running on.  In İzmir, the workers  still keep on organizing demonstrations to put across their demands. [3]

Continue reading Shoe Workers Went on Strike Across Turkey →