As every week, the Saturday Mothers gathered in front of Galatasaray High School for the 685th time, to ask about the fate of their missing loved ones and to demand the responsible be held to account.

This week, HDP deputy Hüda Kaya and CHP women joined the action while the story of Hüsamettin Yaman and Soner Gül, who disappeared while in custody in 1992, was told.

The State murdered them

Speaking at the gathering, Saturday Mother Ilkbal Eren shared a message written by her and Hüsamettin Yaman’s mother, Elmas: “I have worked for 26 years and raised my son to be a decent man. But Hayrettin was not like did country wanted him to be and he was slaughtered by the State. I have been looking for my son for 38 years. For 38 years I have been asking where my son, Hayrettin Eren, is. Today I cannot be with you because I am not in good health. Rest assured that I will never give up on my son”.

We don’t celebrate Mothers’ Day

After this moving message, Murat Yildiz's mother, Hanife Yildiz, spoke of her son, who disappeared in Izmir in 1995. Yildiz began by saying: “My son has not celebrated Mothers’ Day. New elections are coming - she added - and new candidates are introducing themselves. Nobody speaks about us. We went to Berkin Elvan trial and it was a show. Those who broke our hearts should not have the courage to say ‘Happy Mothers’ Day’”.

Hanim Tosun said: “Tomorrow everyone will go to pay respect to their mothers. Some mothers have no children, some children have their mother in jail. We sit here every week and will continue to do so. We will give no chance to the killers to get away with the murder and disappearance of our children”.

HDP Istanbul deputy Hüda Kaya also said some words. “You are treating mothers so badly. Pain is unbearable. We will not give up our fight for justice and truth”.

This week press release was read by Maside Ocak, whose brother disappeared in Istanbul while in custody. “We are in Galatasaray, we, the long-time truth seekers of this land. We come here to expose the policy of disappearing people while in custody implemented by the government”.

Maside Ocak continued: “We want to know what happened to our relatives who disappeared while in custody. We want to reach their graves. We want to appeal to everyone to not let us stay without a grave to grieve on. We appeal for justice for everyone so that all the sons of this land can live in justice and as equals”.

No child is safe

“In a country where evil is common, nobody’s child is safe”, reminded Maside Ocak.  “We gathered here for the 685th week to tell the story of Hüsamettin and Soner and to listen to their voice. Alaattin Çakıcı said that Soner and Hüsamettin disappeared in Istanbul. The last words they said were: ‘They try to kill human dignity with torture’. For many years we have sought justice for them. We call on the Turkey state to shade light on what happened to these two young men and to hold the responsible accountable for their disappearance”.