Miners won but union leaders face prison

Striking miners in Turkey have won a major victory after a 17-day protest in the capital, Ankara. But just hours after the deal was struck, police arrested two of their union leaders

Striking miners in Turkey have won a major victory after a 17-day protest in the capital, Ankara. The workers forced their employer to release their unpaid wages. But just hours after the deal was struck, police arrested two of their union leaders.

The Independent Miners' Union (Bağımsız Maden-İş) agreed to wrap up its sit-in outside the Ministry of Energy once the first payment hit workers' bank accounts. The miners had traveled to Ankara from sites owned by Yıldızlar SSS Holding, having gone months without receiving salaries or severance pay.

For over two weeks, workers camped in the streets under extreme summer heat. Despite heavy police pressure and official protest bans, they refused to budge until they were paid what they were owed.

Union leaders targeted

Shortly after the payout was confirmed, police detained union president Gökay Çakır and organizer Başaran Aksu. A local judge ordered them held in prison pending trial. The two union leaders were charged with “inciting the public to hatred and hostility” over their social media posts.

Both unionists defended their actions in court:

Gökay Çakır, a miner with 22 years of underground experience, said: "I have been detained six times for standing up for these workers. But I have never seen the boss we complained about stand before a judge. If my fellow workers get their money and go home happy, that is an honor for me."

Başaran Aksu told the judge that his tweets simply exposed the truth about poverty: "One of my tweets asked why people stay poor while big companies get richer. If standing with the workers is a crime, I have committed it again and again."

Outrage from trade unions and politicians

The arrests sparked widespread anger across Turkey's trade union movement, human rights groups, and opposition parties. Critics highlighted a stark double standard: the company boss faces no legal consequences for withholding wages, while the unionists who fought for those rights are locked up.

Main opposition Yeni Parti leader Özgür Özel condemned the arrests as a direct attempt to intimidate the workforce, stating: "Trying to silence workers who ask for their rights is the current state of the ruling party's dark order. We will follow this issue until our comrades regain their freedom."

DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları also pointing out the systemic injustice: “Those who exploit the miners' sweat and toil are not being prosecuted; those who pursue what they are owed are. Labor is not a crime. Seeking your rights is not a crime."

The fight continues

The union insists the struggle is far from over. While miners received their initial payment, Bağımsız Maden-İş vows to ensure the company pays all remaining installments on time. At the same time, the union is launching a campaign to secure the immediate release of Gökay Çakır and Başaran Aksu.