Statute of limitations must not be applied for crimes against humanity, said Tuncer Bakırhan, co-chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, at the 31st anniversary commemoration of the Sivas massacre. “The president cannot pardon murderers who have committed crimes against humanity,” he stated.
Özgür Özel, leader of the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP), echoed this sentiment, emphasising the importance of recognising the Madımak incident as a “crime against humanity” to ensure it is does not remain subject to the statute of limitations or pardons. “This case could set a precedent for other significant trials, such as the Ankara 10 October bombing case,” Özel said during the commemoration in Sivas.
On 2 July 1993, a mob of Islamists around 15,000 people, enraged by novelist Aziz Nesin’s declaration that he was not a Muslim and his intention to translate Salman Rushdie’s novel ‘The Satanic Verses’, set fire to the Madımak Hotel in Sivas. The attack resulted in the deaths of 33 people, including intellectuals and artists. Nesin survived the fire, but 30 artists, poets, musicians, photographers, actors, three children, and two hotel workers perished. Additionally, two individuals from the mob died in the commotion outside.
This incident underscores the long history of violence against Alevi communities and highlights the pressing need for justice and accountability. The anniversary of the Sivas massacre is commemorated each year as a reminder of the lives lost and the need to promote equality, solidarity, and peaceful coexistence among all communities.
Over the years, trials related to the Sivas massacre have been marred by judicial scandals and controversies, criticised for failing to bring all perpetrators to justice. Recently, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan granted presidential pardons to two convicted individuals involved in the massacre, sparking outrage and accusations of failing to uphold justice. A court in Ankara dismissed the case, citing the expiration of the statute of limitations, further fuelling the sense of injustice among victims’ families and the Alevi community.
The Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Association demands the court recognise the acts as “crimes against humanity,” which would prevent the application of the maximum 30-year statute of limitations.
The anniversary of the Sivas massacre continues to serve as a poignant reminder of the need for justice and the ongoing struggle against intolerance and discrimination in Turkey.
