Saturday Mothers

On Saturday, 6 June, the "Saturday Mothers" met in front of Galatasaray Highschool in central Istanbul for the 219th time, protesting against the many disappearances in police and military custody.

Special attention was given to the disappearances following the military coup of 12 September 1980.

Relatives of Cemil Kırbayır, who disappeared in custody of the coup, and of Tolga Baykal Ceylan, who disappeared on 11 August 2004, demanded the trial of retired General Kenan Evren, the leader of the coup.

Immunity of coup leaders

A press statement was read by Ceylan's mother Kadriye Ceylan. She said that Evren had been invited to the presidential palace:

"In Chile and Argentina, coup organisers are being tried, but our constitution still offers them a protective armour."

Allegedly escaped

She then referred to the case of Kırbayır:

"Cemil was 24 years old. A day after the 12 September coup, he was taken into custody from his home in Kars. On 8 October, he was taken to Kars' Emergency Law Supervision Station. His older brother Mikail Kırbayır managed to send him money and clothes. When Mikail went to the supervision station again on 9 October, he was said, "There is no such person here, he has escaped."

Aged mother resisting death

"Since Cemil's disappearance, 28 years, 8 months and 23 days have passed. His 93-year-old mother Berfo is still looking for her son. She has said, 'I am going to resist death. I will not die before seeing Cemil, before finding his grave.' Who is listening to Mother Berfo's outcry?"

The crowd demanded the trial of police officers Kemal Kartal, Mehmet Hayta, Kureyşin Tepederili, Semi Güney and M. Ali nicknamed "Köse", all involved in the questioning of Kırbayır. They also demanded the trial of Kenan Evren.

Cemil's siblings Fatma Kırbayır and Mikail Kırbayır also spoke, demanding the trial of the police officers involved and the generals of the period. Mikail said, "Our brother was kille by the state. We had handed our brother over to the state." Fatma said, "I want my brother. What kind of justice is this? We have been on this square for years, is no one hearing our shouts? What did we do to the state that they killed my father and two of my brothers, and burnt down our village?"

Protest in Diyarbakır

Following the call of the Human Rights Association (İHD) in Diyarbakır, protesters have also started a weekly vigil in the Kurdish-majority city on Saturdays.

On 6 June they met at the Koşuyolu Park for the 18th time, carrying placards reading, "I want my father", "They are still not found", and "Missing". Muharrem Erbey, Diyarbakır's İHD branch president, demanded to know the whereabouts of Bedri Alga, who was kidnapped by Diyarbakır village guards and officers of the clandestine JİTEM gendarmerie intelligence unit said to have committed many murders. Alga was never found. (BÇ/AG)