Miners' protest at ministry escalates; union leaders arrested

Miners demanding their rights continued their protest outside the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources for the eighth day, escalating their actions by vowing to remain 24 hours a day. The miners, represented by the Independent Mine Workers' Union (Bağımsız Maden-İş), have been seeking a meeting with Minister Alparslan Bayraktar. Their frustration grew as their requests for a meeting were ignored, leading them to bang their helmets on the ministry's doors, breaking one of the door's components.

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We are being arrested! Our General President Gökay Çakır and Başaran Aksu are under arrest. We call on the Ministry of Energy to keep its word, we will keep ours. We will return when we are released from custody.

In response to the ongoing demonstration, police intervened and arrested union president Gökay Çakır and organizing expert Başaran Aksu. The union condemned the arrests, stating, "You cannot intimidate those who come from underground with arrests!" They vowed to return after their release and continue the protest, emphasizing their unwavering resolve with slogans like "Arrest us or kill us, we will not back down!" and "We will win."

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You cannot intimidate those who come from underground with arrests! Our General President Gökay Çakır and Başaran Aksu are under arrest. We came from underground, we will settle accounts with the surface. Even if you arrest us a thousand times, we will come back a thousand times. We are not afraid. We will win.

Çakır had previously announced the shift to a 24-hour protest, inviting other unions, political parties, and citizens to show solidarity. He stressed the broader implications of their struggle, stating, "If these workers lose, the working class in Turkey will lose, laborers will lose, farmers will lose." The union's determination to stay until their demands are met highlights a significant labor dispute in Turkey, with implications for various sectors of the workforce.

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From now on, we will be here 24 hours a day.