Families rallied in the weekly vigils across Turkey in Diyarbakır (Amed), Batman (Êlih), Hakkari (Colemêrg), İzmir and Istanbul, joined by the Human Rights Association (İHD), demanding accountability for loved ones who disappeared while in custody.
In Diyarbakır, the focus this week was on Mehmet İnan, who has been missing since 28 February 1994. “No information has been obtained about Mehmet İnan despite exhaustive legal efforts,” said Ömer Saman of the Diyarbakır branch of the İHD, highlighting the relentless yet fruitless quest for closure by İnan’s family.
The campaign also continued in Batman, with the 621st action there dedicated to Mehmet Mungan, missing since 1998. Rezan Baytar of the Batman branch of the İHD stressed their unwavering commitment to uncovering the fate of the lost. In Hakkari, activists commemorated Mehmet Yaşar, who disappeared in 1994, with Pınar Şen Zengin from the Hakkari branch of the İHD emphasising the ongoing struggle for justice.
In Istanbul, the poignant narrative of Murat Yıldız, who vanished in 1995, was shared during the 987th week of the Saturday Mothers’ weekly vigil in Galatasaray Square. “Did you think by destroying our loved ones in torture centres, leaving them without graves, you made us forget? We haven’t forgotten; we are here,” declared mother Hanife Yıldız, underlining her perpetual quest for knowledge of the fate of her son.