More Than 1,400 Defendants : Turkish Labor Union Trial in 4th Year

A trial of more than 1,400 officials of a left-wing Turkish labor confederation and affiliated unions has entered its fourth year at a military court in Istanbul--and could last another four.

The case has caused international concern among supporters of the union leaders, many of whom consider it an attempt by the military to eliminate the once-influential left-wing unions.

The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions has called the trial unjust and lodged a complaint with the U.N. International Labor Organization.

Last November, the U.N. group called for release of all defendants and for the union to be allowed to resume its work. Its report quoted lawyers as saying the trial could go on another four years.

The union’s activities were suspended on Sept. 12, 1980, when the military took power in Turkey. About 50 union officials were detained within a week, including the chairman, Abdullah Basturk, a well-known public figure.

The labor federation’s name is normally translated as the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions although an ILO report says the union prefers the word progressive to revolutionary .

The union had more than half a million members. It was established in 1967 by leftists who split from the centrist confederation Turk-Is, which was allowed by the military to remain in operation after the 1980 coup.

The military took over to widespread relief among a population shocked by several years of political violence, which by 1980 was claiming at least 25 lives every day.

Before the coup, the country was split down the middle, in every walk of life, between leftists and rightists.

The military proclaimed its neutrality. However, leftist unionists and human-rights campaigners said the right-wing nature of the armed forces meant that the post-coup crackdown was aimed more heavily at those with left-of-center views.

Two other unions that were closed down, the right-wing MISK and the religious-based Hak-Is, were allowed to resume last year.

There have been a number of mass trials around the country dealing with the pre-coup political killings. About 30,000 young leftists and a lesser number of rightists are thought to be in jail as a result.

Government action against the Confederation of Revolutionary Workers Unions began Dec. 24, 1981, with the indictment of 52 executives on charges of organizing an armed uprising against the state. The prosecutor demanded the death penalty.

Later, the high court merged the case with those against 30 affiliates of the confederation. Also included are leaders of now-banned leftist associations and professional organizations.

A total of 1,474 people are now on trial, 78 of them for their lives. The rest face up to 15 years in jail if convicted.

The International Labor Organization quotes lawyers as saying the charges involve 16 categories of activity alleged by the military prosecutor to be the basis for accusations of unconstitutional and criminal activity.

The labor federation defendants have been gradually released from detention since January, 1983.

Basturk and some other leaders were freed last September, shortly before an International Labor Organization delegation arrived in Turkey to investigate the case. But those freed cannot leave the country and have to attend the regular trial hearings when summoned.

Only five defendants, all federation officials, are still behind bars, apparently because of other charges or convictions although the U.N. group says some of these charges stem directly from their union activities.

Hearings take place in a converted sports arena in a military garrison outside Istanbul, where the five judges have listened to the written evidence since May, 1983, according to Ercument Tahiroglu, a leading lawyer in the case.

The original indictment against the labor federation was 900 pages, and those against the other unions were a similar length, lawyers said. The evidence is made up of federation documents, speeches by officials and members and transcripts of meetings.