On Thursday, Emine Şenyaşar, who has been campaigning for justice following the murder of her husband and two sons, was barred from entering the Turkish parliament and subsequently hospitalised. Şenyaşar, who has been protesting at the parliament for weeks, was prevented from entering the building where the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party group is based. After being denied entry, she became unwell and was taken to hospital, where she was treated and later discharged.
Emine Şenyaşar’s husband and two sons were killed in an attack on 14 June 2018 in the Suruç (Pîrsûs) district of Urfa (Riha), during a visit by İbrahim Halil Yıldız, a former deputy of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). Her son, Fadıl Şenyaşar, was detained in connection with the incident.The violence began at the family’s shop and continued at Suruç State Hospital, where further assaults took place. The incident, which has been linked to Yıldız’s bodyguards and relatives, has sparked widespread controversy, including allegations of evidence tampering, in particular the theft of crucial hospital security footage.
Since the attack, Şenyaşar and her son Ferit, who is now a DEM Party deputy, have campaigned tirelessly for justice. Their efforts have included a long-running protest outside the Justice Ministry in Ankara, calling for the prosecution of those responsible for the murders. However, despite initial promises from officials, no significant progress has been made in the case, prompting the family to take their protest to the Turkish Grand National Assembly in August.
When Emine Şenyaşar and her son tried to move from their protest site within the Turkish parliament to the building where the DEM Party group is located on Thursday, the parliamentary police blocked their way. When questioned, the officers refused to reveal the source of their orders. Ferit Şenyaşar expressed his frustration, saying that as an elected representative he should have access to his party’s office, and described the move as an arbitrary and illegal restriction.
In response, Emine Şenyaşar sat down in protest at the security barriers, recounting her family’s ordeal, the lack of justice they had faced and demanding the release of her detained son, Fadıl Şenyaşar. During this time, she suddenly fell ill and was immediately attended to by paramedics stationed at parliament. Ferit Şenyaşar later explained that his mother had suffered chest pains and was taken to Güven Hospital, where she was treated for high blood pressure and released after her condition stabilised.
The Şenyaşar family’s struggle for justice in parliament has now entered its 30th day. Despite the challenges and health setbacks, Emine Şenyaşar remains resolute in her demand for accountability and continues to protest in the face of ongoing legal and political obstacles.
