Mother of self-immolation victim votes for first time in years amid “solution process” controversy

Emine Demirel, the mother of Rahşan Demirel, who tragically set herself on fire during the 1992 Newroz celebrations, exercised her right to vote for the first time since 2015.

Emine Demirel, who had abstained from voting for the past eight years in protest of the Kurdish peace process being halted, cast her vote in the Yenişehir neighbourhood of Artuklu district in Mardin (Mêrdîn). She expressed her hope that this election would mark the end of persecution, the advancement of the people’s struggle for freedom, and the establishment of democracy in the country.

In 2015, Erdoğan stated, “We did not view the solution process as an indulgence of terrorism. The solution process is currently in the fridge.” Later, on 8 October 2015, he clarified, “I did not say that the solution process was terminated, but rather that it was put on hold at this stage.”