ISTANBUL - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Faruk Kaymakçı told on the UN Human Rights Council that Galatasaray Square was banned to the Saturday Mothers for "disturbing the tourists".
The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council viewed Turkey's Human Rights Reports in Geneva. An official at the UN General Assembly asked why Galatasaray Square has been banned to the Saturday Mothers since the 700th week of their Saturday meetings.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Faruk Kaymakçı justified the ban against Saturday Mothers saying that they “disturb the tourists”. Kaymakçı also claimed that Saturday Mothers took action without permission.
Saturday Mothers reacted to Kaymakçı's justification statements on his Twitter account. Saturday mothers share a message together with a photograph from Galatasaray Square, which shows the blockage: “Here is the area where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called to be banned because it was touristic'. The 'touristic area', which was closed not only to Saturday Mothers but also to citizens and tourists, has been in the police blockade for 76 weeks.”