The 960th vigil held by the Saturday Mothers, a collective of determined women seeking justice for their missing relatives who disappeared while in custody, was once again met with police intervention. During this intervention, both the Saturday Mothers and activists who supported their cause were subjected to physical assault and subsequently detained.
Despite the Turkish Constitutional Court’s (AYM) verdict that deemed the police intervention a violation of the Saturday Mothers’ rights, the police blockade of Galatasaray Square continued for the 20th week. At least 21 individuals were detained as a result.
The Saturday Mothers, along with human rights defenders, had planned to gather from Istiklal Street to the square, holding carnations as a symbolic gesture to remember their loved ones. However, they encountered obstruction from the police, who cited the “prohibition” decision of the Beyoğlu District Governor’s Office as justification for their intervention.
Meanwhile, during the 758th week of the campaign “Let the Disappeared Be Found, Prosecute the Perpetrators”, the Diyarbakır (Amed) branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD) and the families of the missing individuals joined forces. In this week’s event, the central focus was on seeking information about Hacı Ahmet Er, who mysteriously disappeared on 15 August 1995.
