Englische Übersetzung und Veröffentlichung unseres Artikels auf der Solidaritätsseite 'Freiheit für Ali Osman Köse'.
Ali Osman Köse has been in prison for 37 years. In the fight against “terrorism” and for “democracy”, even the most repulsive methods are resorted to in Turkey.
In his long imprisonment, Ali Köse and the campaign for his release is an example of continuing to fight even in the face of torture and attempted murder.
Ali Köse’s “crime” was to fight against the rulers in Turkey. He was part of the revolutionary workers’ and peasants’ movement in the 80s. Today, the Turkish government justifies the persecution of democratic and revolutionary activists (what it calls the “war on terror”) partly by defending “democracy”. It was different in the 1980s, when there was an open military dictatorship. Since then, for 37 years, Ali Osman Köse has been in prison. During this time, he has survived several prison massacres and has been severely tortured. For the last 21 years he has been held incommunicado.
Ali Köse has taken many health problems with him from his imprisonment. He is in a wheelchair and can no longer carry out his daily routine independently. Despite this, a state medical report was issued stating that his health condition was sufficient for him to be fit for imprisonment – so he had to stay in prison while ill. Shortly thereafter, a cyst was found in his left kidney, which turned out to be a life-threatening cancer. When someone is monitored 24 hours a day, it is not a “coincidence” if their cancer is not noticed until it is at such an advanced stage. This is withholding vital medical care. At first, the authorities even refused to operate on him.
This was only achieved after an international campaign was announced for him. However, his entire kidney had to be removed. It is outrageous that the certificate issued shortly before his surgery is still valid. He is thus still considered fit for detention, and so he was transferred back to Tekirdag F-Type Prison No. I shortly after the operation.
Ali Osman Köse is living proof that international campaigns for political prisoners can work here and now. In Turkey, but also in various European countries, such as Greece, Germany, and also in Austria, there are regular actions for his release, in defense of his life. While mass poverty in Turkey is just exploding with the price increases, fewer and fewer people want to watch the government sell the country’s labor force and economy to the foreign imperialist corporations. So the “war on terror” is being waged entirely in the interests of U.S. imperialism – that is, against its own people.
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