For 24 consecutive weeks, the 'Saturday Mothers/People', a group known for their peaceful demonstrations demanding accountability for their forcibly disappeared relatives, have faced ongoing restrictions. These weekly gatherings, which have been a poignant symbol of peaceful protest and remembrance, have been notably constrained since the police intervention on April 8, 2023, during their 941st week of protest at Galatasaray Square in Istanbul.
Initially barred from assembling at Galatasaray Square following the enforcement actions that started in response to the Maside Ocak decision by the Constitutional Court, the Saturday Mothers/People were physically prevented from gathering and were subjected to detentions. Although detentions ceased after the 971st gathering on November 4, 2023, stringent restrictions have continued, including limiting the number of participants to ten individuals from the 972nd week onwards.
The restrictions have been routinely enforced by police, involving significant police presence and surveillance measures, including multiple checkpoints along routes used by the demonstrators and human rights defenders between the Istanbul branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD) and Galatasaray Square, as well as heavy surveillance during the demonstrations. Observers from various human rights organizations, including the Truth Justice Memory Center (Hafıza Merkezi), the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), the Turkish Human Rights Foundation (TİHV), and Amnesty International, have highlighted these actions in their latest observation report from the 995th gathering.
The report criticizes the ongoing restrictions, describing them as administrative harassment that serves to criminalize and deter the activities of the Saturday Mothers/People. The observers note that such measures not only impede the group’s efforts to raise public awareness about the fates of their disappeared loved ones but also represent an infringement on the freedom of assembly. The imposed limitations and the surveillance tactics employed by the police are seen as having a chilling effect on the demonstrators and other citizens' rights to assemble and express grievances, thus constituting a direct intervention against freedom of assembly itself.
The situation remains a point of significant concern for human rights advocates, emphasizing the need for vigilance and continued advocacy to protect fundamental rights and freedoms in Turkey.
