Emine Şenyaşar is taking her struggle for justice to the Justice Ministry in the Turkish capital of Ankara, the 68-year-old mother who has been holding a Justice Vigil in Urfa (Riha) for 846 days announced on Wednesday in the Parliament.
The Kurdish mother seeks justice for her three family members who were killed in 2018 by relatives of a ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP. Additionally, she fights for the release of her imprisoned son.
Following the latest trial related to the case, Emine Şenyaşar made her way to Ankara, determined to continue her pursuit of justice. Alongside her son, Ferit Şenyaşar, who is an MP of the Green Left Party, and other party members, she held a press statement at the Parliament.
“Enough is enough. I want to go back to my home and be with my grandchildren. They killed my family, and they imprisoned my son. They murdered my husband in front of my eyes. If they do not release my son, I will continue to sit in front of the Ministry of Justice,” said Emine Şenyaşar, speaking in Kurdish.
Asserting her son’s innocence, she urged the authorities to release the CCTV footage of the incident.
Ferit Şenyaşar, in his remarks, highlighted his mother’s resolve and the purpose of their presence in the capital. “Her only aim was to make the authorities hear her plea. Unfortunately, the justice dispensers in Ankara chose to turn a deaf ear to her cry,” he said.
Şenyaşar further stated that their intention in moving their protest to Ankara was to strive for a fair life. “After this announcement, we will send a request for a meeting with the Ministry of Justice. If they promise us justice will be served, we will leave from there. My mother doesn’t want to stay in Ankara any longer. She needs surgery on her eyes and knees. She says she won’t seek treatment until justice is served. If justice is not achieved, we will continue our struggle here in Ankara,” he added.
Following the press conference at the Parliament, the Şenyaşar family embarked on a march towards the Ministry of Justice to meet with the officials. They encountered a police barrier. Despite the obstacle, the family managed to surpass the blockade and approached the Ministry building, seeking entry. However, they were met with a closed door and were informed that the Minister and his deputy were not present at the time.
The incident
On 14 June 2018, a fight broke out during an election campaign visit in Urfa’s Suruç district, involving AKP MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız’s relatives at a shop owned by the Şenyaşar family. This led to the deaths of Adil Şenyaşar and Mehmet Şah Yıldız, a brother of the AKP MP, and injuries to two other Şenyaşar brothers. When the parents of the Şenyaşar brothers rushed to the hospital upon hearing the news, the family were attacked again by Yıldız’s relatives, resulting in the deaths of father Hacı Esvet and his son Celal inside the state hospital. It was later revealed that then-Minister of Agriculture, the Governor of Urfa, the District Governor of Suruç and the Chief of Police were all present in the hospital’s courtyard at the time of this second attack. In addition, all relevant recordings from the hospital’s CCTV were found to be missing.
Emine Şenyaşar’s plea for release of imprisoned son
One of the family’s demands is the arrest of the former AKP MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız, whom the Şenyaşar family sees as responsible for the murders. Ferit Şenyaşar repeatedly expressed his dismay that Yıldız has still not been arrested despite no longer having parliamentary immunity, since he is no longer an MP.
The Şenyaşars are also demanding justice for Fadıl Şenyaşar, who was severely injured in the same attack, arrested immediately afterwards and sentenced to more than twice as long as Enver Yıldız.
