Solidarity for democracy: rally in Hamm on April 4th!

Solidarity for democracy: rally in Hamm on April 4th!

The Alevi Cultural Association and the Alevi community of Hamm & Ummand. e.V. call for a solidarity rally on Lutherplatz in Hamm on Friday, April 4, 2025. The event is under the motto of making a clear sign of democracy and human rights in Turkey. In view of the ongoing repressive measures against oppositional politicians: inside, journalist: Interior and young people in Turkey is an urgent call.

In Turkey, freedom of expression is massively under pressure. In particular, the critical voices in politics, media and civil society are under threat. The organizers of the rally want to make the voices of the protesters audible in Germany and offer them support. The mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem İmamoğlu, the mayor of Istanbul, whose arrest is considered an example of the instrumentalization of the judiciary against political opponents. These developments are part of a greater movement that protests in many cities in Türkiye for democratic rights.

international reactions

The international community follows the situation in Turkey with concern. Organizations such as Amnesty International and Reporters Without Borders criticize the ongoing human rights violations. The Turkish government, under the leadership of President Erdoğan, is accused of considering the country's right to human rights considerably. This becomes clear, among other things, by the exposure of international agreements such as the Istanbul Convention to combat violence against women, from which Turkey was the first country in 2021, as well as through the sanction procedure of the European Council.

In addition, the systematic suppression of opposition and freedom of expression is denounced in a petition on the situation in Türkiye. The call is aimed at the governments and parliaments of democratic countries in Europe, especially the federal government of Germany. The petition call calls a clear attitude against the double morality in refugee policy. An end to the collaborations with the Turkish government that continue despite the repressive measures is also required.

claims and responsibilities

The demonstrators in Hamm and the supporters of the petition speak out for several central demands:

• Entering for human rights and democracy, combined with a clear commitment to the rule of law.
• Strengthening civil society and support from journalist: Inside, activist: inside, students and NGOs in Turkey.
• An end to the double standards in refugee policy, which enables authoritarian behavior to ignore, while at the same time rely on Erdoğan's “refugee deal”.

These concerns underline the responsibility of Germany as a strong EU member. It is required that the federal government is actively committed to law, freedom and democracy in Turkey and that authoritarian tendencies. The pressure on oppositional voices in Turkey continues to grow, and the rally in Hamm is only one of many protests in Germany that aim to raise awareness of these critical developments.

The political events in Turkey are impressive to ensure that the use of human rights and democratic values ​​is not only a national, but also international responsibility. The protests in Hamm are a step to promote this important dialogue and to set a sign of solidarity.