ISTANBUL - Saturday Mothers asked about the fate of Fehmi Tosun, who disappeared 26 years ago in the 865th week of their protests.

 

Saturday Mothers made their statements online in the 865th week of their actions. In the action, the story of Fehmi Tosun, who was abducted in front of his house on October 19, 1995, was shared.

 

‘We will follow in our disappeareds’ footsteps’

 

Speaking first, Hanım Tosun said that October, when her spouse Fehmi Tosun was abducted, was a black month for her. Hanım noted that her spouse was abducted and disappeared because of his political identity. Emphasizing that they will continue the struggle to find the disappeareds and to prosecute their perpetrators as long as they exist in this life, Hanım said, ‘’We will not give up to follow in our disappeareds’ footsteps until the last missing is found’’.

 

‘We will ask for account’

 

Stating that the disappeared people are fighting for peace, freedom and identity, Hanım said, ‘’We will embrace to their struggle as long as we exist. We will never forget our missings. We commemorate all our missings. We will ask from them for account until the last missing is found’’.

 

‘The state cared about the private life of the license plate holder’

 

Afterwards, the lawyer of the file, Human Rights Association Co-Chair Eren Keskin, reminded that unlike many other disappearance cases, his family got the license plate of the vehicle that abducted Fehmi. Stating that they applied to the Ministry of Interior within the framework of the law on obtaining information and that they wanted the plate to be investigated, Eren said, ‘’The answer given to us was quite ironic. The right to privacy of owner of the license plate was given to us as a reason. No one thought about Fehmi Tosun’s life and the life of his family, and unfortunately the state refused our research request on such an unbelievable justification’’.

Pointing out that Fehmi’s case, as in many disappearance cases, a decision of nonsuit was given due to the timeout, Eren said, ‘’Our legal struggle still continues’’.

Aylin Tekiner, one of the Saturday People, read this week’s statement.

 

‘Neighborhood residents also witnessed the incident’

 

Saying that on the morning of October 19, 1995, when Fehmi was abducted, he and his friend Hüseyin Aydemir were never heard from again, Aylin said, ‘’Fehmi Tosun was brought in front of his house with a white Renault vehicle with the plate number 34 UD 597 by three people with guns, radios and civilian clothes in the evening. As he was walking towards the garden of the house with these people, he shouted to his spouse and children, ‘They will kill me’. When they ran to Fehmi, he was forcibly taken to the vehicle. The neighborhood residents also witnessed the incident’’.

 

‘An effective investigation has not been carried out’

 

Stating that despite all attempts, no news could be heard from Fehmi after that date, Aylin reminded that the case was brought to the ECtHR when domestic remedies were exhausted, and responded to ECtHR on this issue during the AKP period. Aylin emphasized that despite the response accepting the responsibility of the state for the violation of Fehmi’s right to life, an effective investigation was not carried out.

 

‘Those responsible should be punished’

 

On the 26th anniversary of Fehmi’s disappearance in custody, Aylin expressed the following demand, ‘’The state should immediately fulfill its obligation to conduct an effective investigation into Fehmi Tosun’s fate, identify those responsible for the crime and ensure that they are punished’’.

 

‘We want justice’

 

Underlining that they will not stop demanding justice for Fehmi and all the disappeared, Aylin added, ‘’We will not give up on Galatasaray, our meeting place that has been banned for 166 weeks’’.