Turkish authorities are refusing to hand over the body of HPG guerrilla Maxzume Muhammedzade (Sarya Onur), who lost her life in the rural area of Eruh district of Siirt in a military operation of the Turkish army on June 14. MEYA-DER Siirt branch executive said Muhammedzede was in fact captured alive and then murdered by Turkish soldiers.

Maxzume Muhammedzade, from Selmas city of East Kurdistan, lost her life in an ambush laid by Turkish soldiers in Eruh district of Siirt on 14 June. Her body is currently held at Siirt Public Hospital. HDP deputies Hatice Seviptekin and Kadri Yıldırım as well as executives of MEYA-DER, IHD, and DBP Siirt branch who held a meeting with the Siirt governor today to be allowed to receive the body of Muhemmedzade were rejected by Turkish officials. Their demand to have a meeting with Siirt Public Prosecutor has also been rejected. It has been reported that the Prosecutor says that the body can only be handed over to a family member. In the meantime, the body of Muhemmedzade will be sent to the municipality 15 days later to be buried, according to the reports.

MEYA-DER Siirt branch executive, Hediye Özer said meanwhile that 4 other HPG guerrillas could save their lives in the same operation launched on the order of Siirt governor, while Muhemmedzede was captured alive and then murdered by Turkish soldiers.

Hediye Özer said the soldiers left the guerrilla under the sun for two days and added: “The military authorities and the governor were informed about the murder. Although 8 days passed since the murder, the body is still not being handed over to us. They took the body the first day with armoured vehicles and brought it to the hospital. I am very much worried about this process as a mother. This process cannot once again tolerate an attitude against guerrillas’ bodies as was the case in 90’s”.