Solidarity with Chiara, Christoph, Alessio, Stella Marie and Jan!

At the invitation of the Workers’ Party of Turkey (TIP), Sol members Chiara Stenger and Christoph Farwig, like many other socialists and anti-war activists from around the world, travelled to Turkey yesterday, July 3, to participate in an anti-imperialist peace summit. This summit is being held in Istanbul as an alternative to the NATO summit taking place in Ankara.

Chiara and Christoph, as well as the two members of the SDS (Socialist Democratic Student Association in the Left) Stella Marie Tilker and Jan Runge and Alessio Arena from the Frote Popular from Italy, were prevented from entering the country and are to be deported to Germany.

The victims had their mobile phones confiscated and were taken into police custody at the airport. While Chiara and Stella Marie were able to find ways to communicate with supporters, and we know that they were doing relatively well under the circumstances that evening, there has been no contact with Christoph since 10:19 p.m (German time) on July 3.

The Turkish state had already reacted to the planned protests surrounding the NATO summit in recent weeks with arrests and repression. These entry denials are consistent with that. While the world’s warmongers are welcomed with millions of euros, anti-war activists are not allowed to exercise their democratic rights and are being detained.

The TIP, as organizer of the anti-imperialist peace summit, stated on Instagram: “We condemn this anti-democratic act, which, in times of imperialist war, massacres, and genocide in Gaza, aims to suppress the voice of the peace movement and break its resistance. We know full well that the AKP government took this step in lockstep with the reactionary forces currently in power in Italy and Germany. We will defeat this sinister alliance, which will be disastrous for the peoples of the world, through our common struggle. Despite all attempts to obstruct it, the International Anti-Imperialist Peace Summit, with the participation of numerous guests from around the world, will take place as planned in Istanbul-Kadiköy.”

We have received information suggesting that the denial of entry to the German participants may have been ordered by German authorities. Should this be confirmed, it would constitute a political scandal. We will demand a full investigation into these events.

Left Party MPs Nicole Gohlke and Cansu Özdemir have taken up the matter and are advocating for the safety and rights of the detained comrades.

More information to follow.