Hundreds joined the 1,000th Saturday Mothers’ protest at Galatasaray Square, seeking justice for relatives lost to enforced disappearances, a relentless quest since 1995. “We will never forget, we will never give up,” they declared.
The event saw significant participation from political and democratic forces, including the co-chairs of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, Tülay Hatimoğulları and Tuncer Bakırhan. Participants donned aprons bearing “Saturday Mothers” in Kurdish and Turkish, while a black cloth laid on the ground displayed “1000 Weeks”, photos of the disappeared, and carnations.
The protest began with a silent sit-in by attendees holding photos of their lost loved ones and carnations. Sebla Arcan from the Human Rights Association’s Istanbul branch read the press statement, underscoring the relentless pain and hope over 1,000 weeks. “We have been asking for 1,000 weeks. Where are our missing? Why are the perpetrators protected by impunity? We will never forget, we will never give up,” Arcan emphasised.
Subsequent speakers included relatives of the disappeared, who expressed their unwavering resolve to continue seeking justice. Emine Ocak, mother of Hasan Ocak who disappeared in 1995, thanked supporters and reiterated the demand for justice. Zübeyde Tepe, whose son worked for Özgür Gündem newspaper and was killed, stated, “We will not abandon Galatasaray. We will continue this fight until the perpetrators, like [former PM] Tansu Çiller and [former Interior Minister during the notorious 90s] Mehmet Ağar, are brought to justice. We want the murderers of our children.”
As the event concluded, attendees pledged to continue their vigil until their demands are met, reinforcing the square’s identity as a symbol of their struggle for justice.