The Truth Justice and Memory Studies Association (Hafıza Merkezi), the Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), and Amnesty International shared a public observation report on the 984th weekly meeting of the Saturday Mothers/People, which took place on February 3, 2024.
The Saturday Mothers/People, following the Constitutional Court's decision in the case of Maside Ocak, attempted to gather at Galatasaray Square for their 941st weekly meeting on April 8, 2023, but were prevented and detained by the police. Since that week, excluding Saturday, May 13, they have attempted to peacefully conduct their activities at Galatasaray Square every Saturday. On November 4, 2023, corresponding to their 971st week, they were effectively blocked by a security cordon but were not detained for the first time. Since the 972nd weekly meeting on November 11, 2023, they have been allowed to read press statements at Galatasaray Square as long as the number of participants is limited to 10 people.
In the observation report prepared for the 984th weekly meeting of the Saturday Mothers/People, the following statements were made:
"Firstly, despite the Constitutional Court's decisions in the cases of Maside Ocak Kışlakçı and Gülseren Yoleri, the barriers surrounding Galatasaray Square were not opened, thus preventing the Saturday Mothers/People from making their statement in front of the monument where they have been speaking since 1995. It was observed that the Saturday Mothers/People were under surveillance during their press statement. The police presence in the street where the İHD Istanbul Branch is located, the restriction of the number of participants in the press statement at Galatasaray Square to 10, the continuous monitoring of compliance with this restriction during the meeting, and the recording of the statement with multiple cameras and the taking of photographs are the most significant indicators that the 984th weekly meeting of the Saturday Mothers/People was restricted by law enforcement."
Background :
The Saturday Mothers/People is a group that has been gathering weekly in Turkey since the 1990s to demand justice for their relatives who disappeared during political unrest, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. These disappearances are often associated with state security forces. The group's peaceful protests have been a symbol of the struggle for human rights in Turkey. The cases of Maside Ocak Kışlakçı and Gülseren Yoleri refer to Constiutiontal Court decisions related to the group's activities and the right to peaceful assembly.
