WFTU condemnation statement on the violation of democratic rights in view of the 36th NATO summit

The World Federation of Trade Unions, the militant voice of 105 million workers, unequivocally condemns the violation of democratic and trade union rights in Turkey, in view of the 36th NATO Summit, which is going to take place in Ankara on 7-8 July. This year's summit is taking place in a period of intensification of the conflicts among the US., European Union and other imperialist states, the continuation and deepening of many critical war hotspots, and the rise of military expenditures, which sharpens even more the confrontation and deepens the preparations and the risk of a generalized imperialist conflict with disastrous consequences for the popular strata and the ordinary people.

More particularly, the Turkish government almost decided to declare a lockdown in Ankara, prohibiting all actions for 13 days, from 28 June to 10 July, aiming to stop every protest and demonstration against the 2026 NATO Summit.

This decision blatantly violates every sense of democratic rights and limits the right to gather and protest. As a result of these unlawful and anti-democratic practices, already around 200 people have been arrested two weeks before the summit.

The WFTU expresses its undivided solidarity with its affiliates and other militant trade unions and progressive movements that are preparing for a massive protest demonstration next week against the NATO Summit and the bloody plans of the imperialists.

The international class-oriented trade union movement demands the immediate release of all the detained protesters, the full respect of democratic rights, and calls on workers all over the world to intensify their struggle for the dissolution of NATO and all military coalitions, the complete abolition of nuclear weapons, and respect for the independence and sovereignty of all states.