Saturday Mothers: We are not scared, we will continue to ask about our loved ones

  • 15:29 21 October 2017
  • News

ISTANBUL – Saturday Mothers asked about the lost ones for 656th time. “We aren’t scared of the government trying to spread fear with OHAL (State of emergency), we will continue to ask about our disappeared loves ones,” said Beritan Yurtsever, one of people of Saturday.

Saturday Mothers gathered in Istanbul’s Galata Square for 656th time to ask about their disappeared loved ones and to demand whoever is responsible must be tried. Mothers placed white scarves and red carnations on the banner reading “The perpetrators are known, where the disappeared are?” and they carried the pictures of their loved ones, who had been forcibly disappeared. In this week action, the mothers pointed out the situation of the detained journalists and people of Saturday (People join Saturday Mothers). The mothers demanded the justice for Abdulkerim Yurtseven, Miktad Özeken and Münir Sarıtaş, who were disappeared in custody in Yüksekova district of Hakkari.

Münir Sarıtaş's mother Mahbut Sarıtaş sent a sound record and she said, “We have been waiting for an account for years, we have tried to learn where he is. I have been waiting for my son for 22 years. I want to wash my son’s bones and bury him. I want to cry upon his grave. I want my son’s bones. My son was my eldest child. He went to collect firewood and he never returns. I feel the absence of my son’s grave.”

‘We will continue to call to account’

Then, Beritan began to talk and she asked about her grandfather Abdulkerim Yurtseven. Beritan said, “As 3rd generation, we have waiting for an answer for 22 years for our 73-year-old grandfather Abdülkerim Yurtsever. Where is my grandfather? The state is afraid to account. We declare again; we aren’t scared of the government trying to spread fear with OHAL (State of emergency), we will continue to ask about our disappeared loves ones.”

‘There is no law for us in Turkey’

Gönül Sonbahar, one of people of Saturday, read the statement of this week. She said, “The law no overlapping with truth, justice and ethical rules is null and void. We have gathered in Galata for 656 weeks saying, ‘We demand our loved ones and justice’. We are appealing to the public opinion and the people governing the state for 656 weeks; there is no law for us in Turkey.”