Saturday Mothers listed their demands: Establish a Truth Commission

2025-08-20 16:40:47


	ANKARA - Saturday Mothers, who were heard at the 5th meeting of the National Solidarity, Fraternity and Democracy Commission, demanded the establishment of a Truth Commission to investigate the disappearances in custody.

	Saturday Mother İkbal Yarıcı expressed her demand for justice for her brother who disappeared in detention and for all the disappeared. İkbal Yarıcı said: “Mr President, we cannot talk about the present without going into the past.” Ikbal Yarıcı stated that her brother Hayrettin Eren was an English teacher born in 1954 but he was never able to practise his profession and added: “My brother left his house in 1980 to meet his friend. When the police learnt about this meeting, they detained my brother and took him to Fatih Karagumruk Police Station.”

	 

	She stated that her parents went to the police station as soon as they learnt about the situation and concluded: “The police looked at the detention book and said that they were sent to Istanbul Security Directorate. However, when we went to the police station, they said they were not here. It was seen that our car was in the garden of the police station. Every time my mother asked, the police manhandled her and took her away. When we went back to Fatih Karagumruk Police Station, they told us ‘You were given wrong information’.”

	 

	İkbal Yarıcı stressed the purpose of her participation in the commission with the words: "It is to ensure justice for my brother and all those who disappeared in detention."

	 

	'LET A COMMITTEE BE ESTABLISHED IN WHICH WE WILL TAKE PART'

	 

	"We should not forget the psychological torture experienced by those who remain," İkbal Yarıcı said and added: "As the National Solidarity, Fraternity and Democracy Commission, I think that your request to meet with the Saturday Mothers is an important step both for us, the relatives of the disappeared, and for the democracy of the country. I want to believe that this commission is solution-oriented and sincere. If we all want to live together in a truly democratic country, these wounds must be healed. For this purpose, I think that a commission should be established in which we will take part, which will use scientific methods, reveal the truth and find the right solutions."

	 

	‘TRUTH COMMISSION MUST BE ESTABLISHED’

	 

	Saturday Mother Mesude Ocak told her big brother Hasan Ocak. She said, "My brother Hasan Ocak was a primary school teacher waiting for an appointment. He was working as a tea seller in a business centre. We lived in Avcılar. One day he went to buy a cake and never returned home. Our waiting and searching, our inability to get results from domestic law brought us together. We would like you to understand why we went to Galatasaray. For 699 weeks, we held peaceful meetings. On 25 August 2018, we faced heavy police violence. Galatasaray Square has been banned since then. In order to eliminate new violations, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) sent its judgement to the governorship and district governorship. The Constitutional Court (AYM) ruled to open the square. However, Galatasaray Square is still a banned square. We were unlawfully detained 29 times even though there was no criminal offence. We demand that Galatasaray Sqyare be opened to all rights defenders. A Truth Commission should also be established.” 

	 

	 

	'WE HAVE BEEN CHASING THAT VEHICLE FOR 30 YEARS' 

	 

	Speaking afterwards, Saturday Mother Besna Tosun said: “My mother looked down and sat three people forcibly putting my father into a White Toros. At the same time we heard my mum and dad screaming. The youngest was 5 years old and the oldest was 14. We ran downstairs; they were forcing my father into the car. MY brother was 14 years old, the person in the car said ‘Come, let’s put you in the car too’. The whole neighbourhood rant to the street, the car sped away, we could not catch up. We ran after the White Toros with 34 UD 597 plate. For 30 years, the whole family is still running after that vehicle. My father, Fehmi Tosun, was taken from our home on 19 October 1995. For 30 years, none of the legal remedies we resorted to reached a conclusion. My father's detention was denied by all state institutions. The government told the ECHR that 'Our government regrets the disappearance of Fehmi Tosun'. Our objections to the judgements were rejected; all remedies were closed to us."

	 

	DEMANDS OF THE MOTHERS

	 

	“Our aim is reveal the truth and ensure the justice” said Besna Tosun and listed common demands of Saturday Mothers as follows:  

	 

	“* Implement the judgements of the Europen Court of Human Rights and Constitutional Court. 

	 

	* End the arbitrary ban of Galatasaray Square 

	 

	* A "Truth Commission" be established as a sub-commission of the National Solidarity, Fraternity and Democracy Commission to investigate disappearances in custody

	 

	* State to acknowledge its responsibility for the crime of disappearance in custody

	 

	* Explain the fate of the disappeared and return their remains to their families

	 

	* An end to impunity that protects the perpetrators and perpetrators responsible for the crime of disappearance in custody and let the be justice done

	 

	* Legal arrangements should be made to regulate, prevent and punish the act of disappearance in detention as a crime against humanity. The statute of limitations should be removed as a tool of impunity. No one should ever be disappeared in detention again

	 

	* Turkey should sign, ratify and implement the UN Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance and the Rome Statute establishing the International Criminal Court. Peace is not only the silence of arms. Peace is a social responsibility that will last until the truth is spoken, justice is established and the voices of the victims are heard."