From the PSI international trade union site:
Turkey: Continued detention of Ms Seher Tümer
International solidarity action needed
Union activist Seher Tümer, Branch Secretary of PSI affiliate SES (the trade union of public employees in health and social services), will spend International Women’s Day 2010 in prison.
But international solidarity action could open the door to freedom for her.
Ms Tümer has now been detained in an F-type prison for almost a year, with no clear charges being brought against her. PSI is convinced that her arrest is linked to her activities in the labour and women’s movements in that country, including participating in International Women’s Day activities last year. Tümer, who is Kurdish, was arrested and imprisoned in April 2009. Her case mirrors that of fellow union leader Meryem Özsögüt, who faced similar charges of belonging to a terrorist organisation. (Özsöğüt was released after eight months in prison following a major international protest campaign led by PSI.)
PSI has been closely following this case. Ms Tümer’s next court appearance is planned for 9 March, PSI and EPSU have sent a joint letter of protest to the Turkish Prime Minister demanding that all charges be dropped and that she be immediately released.
PSI urgently calls on trade unions and concerned organisations to write similar letters of protest.
Dear Kitty. Some blog 
Dear friends,
On behalf of the National Women’s Fightback Network (WFN) from the International Action Center, I would like to invite you and your friends to a very important gathering.
On Wednesday, March 10th, the Women’s International Democratic Federation, of which the WFN is a member, will be holding its annual Seminar in the United Nations. This year will be a special one since it is the celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the International Women’s Day and the 65th of the WIDF.
The topic of the Seminar is ‘BEIJIN+15, THE ECONOMIC CRISIS AND ITS EFFECTS ON WORKING WOMEN’. It will be held during the 54th Session of the UN Commission on Women, at the Conference Room num. 8 at 3pm at the UN Central Building, in NYC.
This exciting Seminar will have the participation among others, of women leaders from Angola, Brazil, Cuba, Cyprus, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Jordan, Mexico, Palestine and the U.S. We are happy to say that among the other organizations invited to participate is the World Federation of Democratic Youth (www.wfdy.org).
We want to call attention to the unjust imprisonment of the Five Cuban Heroes and the solidarity with Palestinian women, among the many issues that we will be raising. This is not the “typical” UN meeting, but we need the participation of as many women who live in the United States as possible, to make this a truly successful event.
We must unite the struggles of all working women, from the U.S. and beyond and this will be the best opportunity in a long time to try and accomplish this.
Please let us know if you plan to participate since you will need a pass to enter the UN. Email Vinnie Burrows vinieb@sprynet.com, or Berta Joubert-Ceci at bjceci@gmail.com, or call Berta at 267-257-7742 so we can put your name on a list to facilitate your entrance to the building.
Hope to see you there,
Solidariamente,
Berta Joubert-Ceci
National Women’s Fightback Network of the IAC/WIDF
(Español)
Estimadas compañeras,
En nombre de la Red Nacional de Mujeres en Lucha (RML) del Centro de Acción Internacional, me complace en invitarla a usted y a sus amigas a una reunión muy importante.
El miércoles, 10 de marzo, la Federación Democrática Internacional de Mujeres, de la cual la RML es miembro, celebrará su Seminario anual en las Naciones Unidas. Este año será uno muy especial ya que es la celebración del centenario del Día Internacional de la Mujer y el 65º de la FDIM.
El tema del seminario es ‘BEIJIN+15, LA CRISIS ECONÓMICA Y SU EFECTO EN LA MUJER TRABAJADORA”. Se celebrará durante la 54ª sesión de la Comisión de la Mujer, en la sala Nº 8 a las 3 pm en el edificio central de la ONU, en Nueva York.
Este interesante seminario tendrá la participación entre otros/as, de mujeres dirigentes de Angola, Brasil, Cuba, Chipre, Ecuador, El Salvador, Alemania, Jordania, México, Palestina y Estados Unidos. Nos complace decir que entre las otras organizaciones invitadas a participar está la Federación Mundial de Juventudes Democráticas (www.wfdy.org).
Queremos llamar la atención sobre el encarcelamiento injusto de los Cinco Héroes Cubanos y la solidaridad con las mujeres palestinas, entre las muchas cuestiones que plantearemos. No se trata de una reunión “típica”, de las Naciones Unidas, pero para que este evento sea realmente exitoso necesitamos la participación de tantas mujeres que viven en los Estados Unidos como sea posible.
Hay que unir las luchas de todas las mujeres trabajadoras, de aquí en los Estados Unidos y en el mundo, y esta será la mejor oportunidad en mucho tiempo para tratar de lograrlo.
Por favor, déjenos saber si tiene previsto participar ya que necesitará un pase para entrar en las Naciones Unidas. Envíe un mensaje al correo electrónico de Vinnie Burrows vinieb@sprynet.com o a Berta Joubert-Ceci bjceci@gmail.com, o llame a Berta al 267-257-7742 para que podamos poner su nombre en una lista a fin de facilitar su entrada al edificio.
Esperamos verle en la ONU,
Solidariamente,
Berta Joubert-Ceci
Red Nacional de Mujeres en Lucha del CAI/FDIM
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