Gökay Çakır, President of the Independent Miners’ Union (Bağımsız Maden-İş), and Başaran Aksu, an organizing specialist, who were staging a protest with miners in Ankara over unpaid wages at companies affiliated with Yıldızlar SSS Holding, were arrested on the 25th of August on charges of “inciting the public to hatred and hostility.” The union leaders’ social media posts were presented as evidence. (Fayn)
On August 26, the 18th day of the protest, it was announced that a broad agreement had been reached with the company regarding the payments owed. In a statement condemning the arrest of union leaders, it was noted that the protest would continue until the funds were deposited into the accounts. (Velvele)
28th of August 2026
The court which ordered our release on bail three days ago has arrested us once again based on a file which contains some of our social media posts.
Gökay, the president, doesn’t even have any posts.
There’s a photo of the two of us, and a poem.
The prosecutor has made use of 2161 to justify our arrest as he did not agree with the direction of the protests we held outside of the Ministry of Energy.
What’s more, he seems to have written this at the end of the interrogation, after having told us that the case had nothing to do with the protests and that he was only asking about the tweets…
I learned about the good news while in prison.
The miners have won once again!
Good for those who resist!
Our crime was to openly declare the will to walk up to the King.
Good for us :))
Let me end on what Gökay has previously said:
We’re miners. We’re Celalis!2
We love our people!
Başaran Aksu
For more information about the miners’ strike: https://bianet.org/haber/independent-mine-workers-union-wins-first-payments-after-17-day-protest-322912