Families that had been on a hunger strike for 11 days in order to retrieve their children’s bodies criticized the Turkish state for its savagery and disregard for international conventions on war.

The onslaught and siege by state forces in Amed’s Sur district continue in its 65th day. Families of Rozerin Çukur, Hakan Aslan, Gündüz Akmeşe, Turgay Girçek and Ramazan Öğüt have been waiting for the retrieval of their children’s bodies for several weeks now. Families hold a vigil and camp out in Sümerpark in order to have access to their children’s bodies.

FATHER ÖĞÜT: WE ARE DYING EVERYDAY!

Mithat Öğüt, father of Ramazan Öğüt who was killed by state forces on December 30, stated that his son’s body has been inside Sur district for 38 days now and their 11 days-long hunger strike ended after failing to reach success. Families are now holding daily vigils in Sümerpark.

Öğüt shared his concerns regarding the status of his son’s body and said that the state may have tortured his son’s dead body. Öğüt said that HDP parliamentarians were the only people who showed support to the families so that they receive their children’s bodies, and noted that that his son died once but his family dies everyday without access to his body.

According to Öğüt, their prior hunger strike only served to create access to 2 bodies, which were both tortured and disrespected after their deaths. Öğüt criticized the Turkish state for its disregard for international conventions on war, and repeated the families’ desire for peace and access to their children’s bodies.

MOTHER GİRÇEK: THEY ROTTED HIS BODY!

Makbule Girçek, mother of Turgay Girçek, said that her son’s body has been lying and rotting on the ground for 18 days now, and called for the retrieval of his body so that she can have a grave to visit and cry over. Makbule Girçek repeated the families’ call for peace, and added that no mother should ever experience this pain.