Turkish Authorities Arrest 110 Coal Miners Following Nine Day Hunger Strike March to Ankara

Turkish police detained 110 coal miners after a 200km march to Ankara. The workers are demanding unpaid wages from Doruk Mining amid a growing labor crisis.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 21, 2026, 7:07 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from The Straits Times

A Forced Conclusion to the March for Labor Rights

The dawn of April 21 brought a sharp escalation in the standoff between Turkish labor and state authorities as police moved in to arrest 110 coal miners. These individuals had recently completed an arduous nine day journey on foot, covering 200km from Ekisehir to the capital city of Ankara. Their arrival on April 20 was marked by a defiant, bare chested sit in directly outside the national energy ministry, a visual testament to their claim of being stripped of their basic livelihood and dignity.

The Desperation Written in Ink and Skin

The atmosphere in the capital was charged with the visible desperation of the workers, some of whom had scrawled the words, We are hungry, across their bare chests. This protest was not merely a symbolic gesture but a final attempt to secure wages and redundancy pay that have allegedly been withheld by their employer, Doruk Mining. By appearing topless in front of government buildings, the miners sought to highlight the physical toll of their labor and the subsequent neglect they have faced from the corporate and political establishment.

A Silence from the Halls of Power

Despite the high visibility of the protest and the subsequent mass arrests, the Turkish government has remained notably silent. According to statements from the Bagimsiz Maden Is union, the miners were waiting for a formal audience with ministry officials to discuss their grievances when the police intervention began. When approached for a statement regarding the morning’s events, representatives from the energy ministry declined to offer any immediate commentary, leaving the status of the detained workers in a state of uncertainty.