International solidarity with TKP: Stop the repression against TKP and anti-NATO protesters in Turkey

We, the undersigned Communist and Workers’ Parties, strongly condemn the repression carried out by the Turkish authorities against the demonstration organized by the Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) in Ankara in protest of the NATO Summit.

The violent police intervention, the injuries inflicted on demonstrators, and the detention of 145 communists including one member of the Central Committee of  TKP and 8 members of the Party Council, constitute an unacceptable attack on the  right to organize and protest. The sweeping bans imposed on demonstrations and public gatherings, which effectively turned the Turkish capital into a closed city ahead of the NATO Summit, reveal once again that NATO’s war agenda goes hand in hand with the restriction of political rights and freedoms.

The attempt to silence the communists cannot conceal the truth: NATO is an aggressive imperialist alliance that has brought war, occupation, destruction and suffering to peoples across the world. Those who raise their voices against militarization, imperialist interventions and wars cannot be intimidated by repression.

We express our full solidarity with the Communist Party of Turkey, with all detained TKP members, and with everyone who stood up against the NATO Summit. We demand the immediate release of all communists in custody, the dropping of all charges, and an end to every measure restricting all anti-NATO political activity.

Hands off TKP! Hands off all communist and anti-imperialist militants!