802nd day of sit-in protest for justice: The persecution must end

“We have faced persecution for years; this persecution must end,” said Emine Şenyaşar, who has held a sit-in protest for justice in front of the Urfa Courthouse for 802 days.

Riha (Urfa) - The sit-in protest held in front of the Urfa Courthouse by Emine Şenyaşar, whose husband and two sons were murdered in the attack carried out by the relatives and bodyguards of AKP Urfa MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız in Pirsûs (Turkish: Suruç) district of Urfa province on June 14, 2018, and her son Ferit Şenyaşar has entered its 802nd day.

In the morning, Emine Şenyaşar went in front of the Urfa Courthouse to seek justice again. Today, the members of the Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD) Urfa Branch visited Emine Şenyaşar to support her struggle for justice.

‘My children are innocent’

Making a speech in front of the courthouse, Emine Şenyaşar said, “Ferit (Her son Ferit Şenyaşar, Green Left Party Urfa MP) is in Ankara while I am here. My Fadıl (Her son Fadıl Şenyaşar, who has been kept in a solitary cell for years) has been held in prison even though he is innocent. My son must be released immediately. My children are innocent. The ruling party should no longer support the perpetrators of this massacre. Here (In front of the Urfa Courthouse) becomes my home. I thank everyone who supports our struggle. People cannot speak about the truth because they are afraid. We have faced persecution for years; this persecution must end now.”

İbrahim Halil Öyke, Co-chair of the Lawyers Association for Freedom (ÖHD) Urfa Branch, said they will never leave Emine Şenyaşar alone since her son Ferit Şenyaşar is in Ankara and that they will be in solidarity with the Şenyaşar family until the family’s struggle for justice achieves its goal.