Turkish police detain miners protesting company owned by AKP MP

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Turkish police on Sept. 17 detained 25 miners protesting their employer Fernas Mining, a private company owned by Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) deputy Ferhat Nasıroğlu. 

Miners had traveled from Turkey's western Soma district to the capital Ankara and were detained as they were protesting in front of the Fernas Mining headquarters.

Organized under the Independent Miners' Union (Bağımsız Maden İş), the miners had begun their protest in Soma on Aug. 26, demanding union rights and better worker health and safety.

They brought their demonstration to Ankara, where they attempted to protest in front of the headquarters of Fernas Mining, owned by Nasıroğlu, the AKP deputy for the eastern Batman province.

In response to the police violence, one miner climbed an electric pole. As officials attempted to convince him to come down, fire and ambulance teams arrived at the scene.

The miners' protest has entered its 23rd day. It began as support grew for the seven workers who were dismissed after joining the Independent Miners' Union while working for Fernas Mining in Soma.

After bringing their protest to Ankara on Sept. 16, the miners made a statement in front of the Labor Ministry.

Police blocked their attempt to hold a vigil in front of the Turkish Parliament. In response, the protesters marched to the Miner’s Monument, where they gave another statement.

The miners also organized protests in Turkey's summer vacation capital of Bodrum, in front of a luxury hotel also owned by Deputy Nasıroğlu. Miners held that they could not afford to stay for a day at the luxury hotel with their monthly salaries, calling upon Nasıroğlu to notice and take action against the poor conditions at his mines.