Relatives of the disappeared and the Human Rights Association (IHD) continued their protest this week with the slogan “Find the disappeared, put the perpetrators on trial”.

 

AMED

 

Human Rights Association (IHD) Amed (Diyarbakır) Branch and relatives of the disappeared organized the 832nd protest in front of the Right to Life Monument in Koşuyolu Park. 

 

At this week's protest, the story of Hrant Dink, the editor-in-chief of Agos newspaper, who was murdered on January 19, 2007, was read. 

 

Ercan Yılmaz, Co-Chair of IHD Amed Branch, said that they are shouting out a known fact and demanding that the fate of the forcibly disappeared and murdered people be investigated and the perpetrators be exposed through effective trials. Yılmaz reacted against the impunity with which the case on the death of Nezir Tekçi, who was detained as a shepherd in Yekmal village of Gever (Yüksekova) district of Colemêrg (Hakkari) on April 28, 1995 and was murdered after the confessions of a soldier. Yılmaz gave information about the Tekçi case. Then the story of Hrant Dink was read.  

 

ÊLIH 

 

In Êlih (Batman), IHD and relatives of the disappeared gathered in front of the Human Rights Monument on Gülistan Street for the 668th week of their protest. The demonstration was attended by relatives of the disappeared, human rights defenders, members of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Êlih branch, and executives of the Association of Assistance, Solidarity, Unity and Culture with the Families of the Disappeared in the Cradle of Civilizations (MEBYA-DER) branch.

 

This week's demonstration asked for the perpetrators of Hrant Dink, who was murdered in an armed attack in Istanbul on January 19, 2007. 

 

COLEMÊRG

 

IHD Colemêrg (Hakkari) Branch and relatives of the disappeared gathered at Sanat Street in Gever (Yüksekova) district for the 158th week. Many people and relatives of the disappeared participated in the protest.  

 

This week's protest asked for the perpetrators of Abdullah Canan. Sibel Çapraz, Co-chair of IHD Colemêrg Branch, read the story of Canan. 

 

Speaking afterwards, Tayyip Canan said that those who murdered his father Abdullah Canan were clearly “murderers” and added, “This has been registered in court decisions and in the conscience of the people. May the murderers live a long life so that every time we ask them to account, they will disappear from their worries. Those who murdered my father have the same mentality as ISIS. But we will hold them to account for my father and all the 17 thousand murders whose perpetrators are known until the end.”

 

“The only way to move from Turkey's dark past to a bright future is to face the truth,” said DEM Party Colemêrg MP Onur Düşünmez. 

 

ABOUT ABDULLAH CANAN

 

Abdullah Canan was on his way to Colemêrg on the morning of January 17, 1996 when his car was stopped by soldiers on the Gever-Wan highway and he was taken to Yüksekova Mountain Commando Battalion in a military vehicle. Canan's lifeless body, severely tortured, was found by civilians on February 21, 1996. 

 

IZMIR 

 

IHD Izmir Branch held its bi-weekly protest “Let the disappeared be found, let the perpetrators be tried” in front of the old Sümerbank in Konak district. The protest was attended by many people. In this week's demonstration, the fate of Abdullah İlhan, Ahmet Kaya, Ali Nas, Neytullah İlhan, Halit Kaya and Ramazan Oruç, who were detained and disappeared in Basa (Güçlükonak) district of Şirnex province on January 10, 1996, was asked. IHD Izmir Branch Co-Chair Zilan Gümüş made the statement and shared the story of the disappeared. 

 

Zilan Gümüş emphasized that as the Human Rights Association and rights defenders, the state must face the crimes committed and the fate of those disappeared in custody must be revealed.