A Turkish/Kurd, Sedat came to France at the age of fourteen. He is now 20.

In the 90s, his family fled Turkey after the father was imprisoned (for three years) for his involvement with the movement for Kurdish independence. This wasn't enough, in the eyes of the French authorities, to justify asylum. Should Sedat be deported to Turkey, he is faced with prison, where there is a real risk of torture and disappearance for failing to do his military service.

The Tastans' are settled in Marseille; Sedat's four young brothers and sisters are all attending school. He himself worked in construction, an understaffed sector. His girlfriend - the couple have a civil union - accompanies him in all his endeavours.

Sedat was detained for the first time on February 28 last year. Some days later, he began a hunger strike with six other young Kurds from the detention centre (CRA) in Canet. On the 11th March, around a hundred people, including teachers and parents from the St Barthélémy School that the young Tastans attend, gathered outside the prison in solidarity with the detained. Sedat, bound head to toe like a parcel, was twice presented for Air France flights to Turkey. Twice he succeeded to refuse to fly, still on hunger strike, supported by RESF activists and his family in the Marignane hall and by the passengers who refused to travel under the undignified conditions proposed by Air France. Upon being taken off the plane, he was beaten (a complaint has since been filed). On March 17th, the police managed to drive him to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport for a third attempted removal (again with Air France) despite his father's suicide attempt - he tried to self-immolate by spraying himself with petrol in front of the prison for foreigners. He was prevented from setting himself alight at the very last minute. Four activists from Marseille leapt onto the plane to follow Sedat - they were joined in Roissy by RESF activists from Ile-de-France. Thanks to the solidarity of other Air France passengers, this third removal attempt also failed.

Sedat soon after appeared before the High Court of Bobigny for refusal to fly. His supporters were there. His solicitor, Ms Terrel, secured his release and the postponement of the trial in September 2007, then an adjournment until March 2008.

On Wednesday 24th October Sedat was accompanied by several members of RESF to register his request for leave to remain at the local Prefecture in Marseille. Two zealous policemen, seeing that he was still under a deportation order tried to arrest him despite the protests of those who came to support him. Police reinforcements finally (violently) arrested Sedat and four RESF activists including his 18 year old partner.

Sedat was then placed in a temporary holding centre, then to a Marseille detention centre, despite the intervention to the Prefecture of Bouches du Rhone of local elected politicians and citizens from all around France (by fax, phone and post), and the gathering of a hundred people at the doors of the foreigner's prison. A guard was present throughout the night. Sedat is to be called before the Judge of Freedom and Detention (JLD) tomorrow. As for the four RESF activists, held at Noailles police station for more than six hours, they have been released, without charge for the moment.

Two days after the court case of Marseille's RESF activist Florimond Guimard in Aix in Provence, the accusations against whom made by the police ("voluntary violence") were discredited on Monday October 22nd, and the same day that Oise union activists linked to RESF appear in front of the Beauvais tribunal following a defamation charge filed by the mayor of Méru.... the arrest of citizens who, as a precaution, accompanied Sedat to the prefecture, constitutes a new provocation.

How can we not see an increasingly zealous police force, a renewed eagerness of the prefecture against Sedat, a new attempt to intimidate in order to stop those actively supporting 'illegals'?

RESF today reaffirmed its complete support for Sedat, his brothers, his sister and his parents in blocking the entrances and exits of the Marseille detention centre for two hours before the riot squads removed them.

What you can do to help:
Fax: Monsieur Gérard Errera, French Ambassador to the U.K, urging him to convey your concerns about the treatment of sans-papiers and intimidation attempts against RESF activists to the French government. Tell him that Sedat Tastan has suffered enough at the hands of the French authorities and that he should be granted leave to remain.

Please use the attached "model letter" (SedatTastanGE.doc) and/or you can copy/amend/write your own version

Fax number French Embassy UK: 020 7073 1004

For fax numbers of French Embassies in other countries, go to:
 http://www.learn4good.com/travel/france_embassies.htm
In your model letter change the fax number, and Monsieur Gérard Errera to Monsieur French Ambassador

Please sign also the petition on RESF's website:  http://www.educationsansfrontieres.org/?article9306#sp9306.

Please notify RESF of any faxes sent:
+ 33 (0)6 31 32 48 65
 resf13@no-log.org

You can watch a video of the events of October 24 in Marseille on  http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=I9TOz-f2eIA

End of Bulletin:

Source for message:
Réseau Éducation Sans Frontières