Saturday Mothers will be in Galatasaray this Saturday

Saturday Mothers held a press conference at the Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch to confirm that they will be in Galatasaray Square, tomorrow. 

"We do not forgive, We do not excuse, We do not give up!" This was the slogan by the Saturday Mothers, when they first started demanding justice and the truth about their loved ones who had disappeared while in custody. 

The first action was held on 27 May 1995, in Galatasaray Square, in Istanbul. On Friday the Saturday Mothers held a press conference at the Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch to condemn once again the violence used by police last Saturday, week 700 of the action and to confirm that they will be in Galatasaray Square, tomorrow. 

The press conference was attended by the Saturday Mothers, IHD co-chair and lawyer Eren Keskin, HDP deputies Hüda Kaya, Garo Paylan, Züleyha Gülüm, Oya Ersoy, Murat Çepni, Serpil Kemalbay, Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, CHP deputy Sezgin Tanrıkulu,

Gülseren Yoleri, Head of IHD Istanbul Branch reminded that the statements made by Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu and AKP Spokesman Ömer Çelik after the attack carried out by police on the Saturday Mothers during the week 700 of their action is actually a constant government policy. 

“We have held this action up for 23 years and 3 months and we will continue until getting results. On the 700th week once again we saw a great solidarity with the Saturday Mothers”, added Yoleri. 

Maside Ocak, whose brother disappeared while in custody in 1995, said: "We went to Galatasaray saying the government that we want to know what happened to our beloved, as mothers, dads, sisters, brothers and human rights defenders. We said this on 27 May 1995, we are repeating it today”. 

Maside Ocak, who was one of the people arrested last Saturday added what the Mothers have been asking for 699 weeks: “We want to know the fate of those who were disappeared in custody. End the impunity that protects the responsible of disappearances. We demand justice, we don’t one anyone to be disappeared in custody anymore”. 

On week 700, the Saturday Mothers set out to go to Galatasaray and repeat their demands, but they were met with violence and repression. Oak reminded that President Erdogan had invited the Saturday Mothers on 5 February 2011. “Seven years went by since that meeting”, said Ocak. 

After Maside Ocak the relatives of other people who were forcibly disappeared while in state forces custody spoke, to confirm that tomorrow they will be in Galatasaray for action number 701.