ISTANBUL - Journalists who were exposed to violence while watching the police violence at the Saturday Mothers protest said: "As long as the picture continues like this, our insistence on making their voices heard will continue. The voice of Saturday Mıther should be heard"

 

Saturday Mothers have been in action for years to learn the fate of their relatives who disappeared in custody and to prosecute the perpetrators. The Saturday Mothers have been fighting nonstop for 957 weeks in Galatasaray Square, which they describe as a "memory place". However, their demands are ignored by the governments. The government has not met the demands of the Saturday Mothers and has been preventing them from going to Galatasaray Square with police violence in recent weeks. The square has been banned from Saturday Mothers on the grounds of the "ban" brought by the Beyoğlu District Governor's Office for 17 weeks. Despite the "violation" decision of the Constitutional Court (AYM), the ban persists, while the Saturday Mothers continue their resistance with rights defenders every week. The police detain many people by using violence every week. Journalists who follow the action of the Saturday Mothers also face the obstacles and violence of the police.

 

'WE HAVE TO SHOW WHAT HAPPENED'

 

Stating that she has been following the actions of mothers for 10 years, stated that the Saturday Mothers have been targeted by the government for years,  Photojournalist Hayri Tunç said: "Regarding the police's attempt to prevent journalists in these actions. The state does not want to show not only its own torture, but also the mothers, nor the reasons for this action. Journalists need to take a stand here. So either you will be here to report it or you will never come, you will not see it, you will not show it. This is what we journalists believe in. After the 700th week, their violence was horrific. Despite this, we did not give up because we have to show someone the torture, the beating and the prevention that took place there.”

 

'WE WILL STAND BY MOTHERS'

 

Stating that she sees the actions taken by mothers as a just and legitimate action, Şimşek, who stated that they were beaten every week like mothers, stated that police violence has spread to the whole society today. We will continue to follow the rightful actions of mothers, No matter how much violence and torture we are exposed to, as long as the Saturday Mothers do not give up on that square, journalists will not give up on that square. Maybe we will see violence again, but as long as these families express their rightful demands, we will stand by them on the street. We will stand by mothers. The insistence of the Saturday Mothers is also the insistence of us journalists.”

 

'WE WILL CONTINUE LIKE MOTHERS'

 

Expressing that the Saturday Mothers' insistence on making their voices heard will continue, Kepenek said: "Because the repression has not ended, the missing have not been found and Galatasaray Square is still closed to Saturday Mothers. As long as the picture continues like this, our insistence on making their voices heard as a journalist will continue.”

 

MA / Ergin Cağlar