The sit-in protest of Emine Şenyaşar, whose husband and two sons were killed, has entered its 300^th day. For 300 days, Emine Şenyaşar has held a sit-in protest demanding justice for her killed relatives in front of the Urfa Courthouse. Emine Şenyaşar was beaten, detained, hospitalized, and faced 12 investigations in 300 days. 

MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Riha- Emine Şenyaşar, whose two sons and husband were murdered before her eyes, has been demanding “justice” in front of the Urfa Courthouse for 300 days. 300 days mean 42 weeks and four seasons. Emine Şenyaşar, who has waged an unprecedented struggle for justice, has been resisting for 300 days despite rain, snow, and heat.

Her story is not just the story of a woman sitting in front of the courthouse

On June 14, 2018, AKP MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız visited shopkeepers in the Suruç district of Urfa along with his relatives and bodyguards and they attacked the Şenyaşar family’s shop. 41-year-old Celal Şenyaşar and 36-year-old Adil Şenyaşar were seriously wounded in the attack while Mehmet Şenyaşar, Fadıl Şenyaşar and Ferit Şenyaşar were slightly injured. Emine Şenyaşar directly went to the Suruç State Hospital as soon as she heard the attack on her family members. Her husband Hacı Esvet Şenyaşar and two sons were lynched and murdered at the Suruç State Hospital in front of her.

Women always support her

She lost two of four of her sons in the massacre while her son Fadıl Şenyaşar was arrested after the massacre. Then, Fadıl Şenyaşar was sentenced to 37 years and six months in prison. On March 9, Emine Şenyaşar, whose faith in the judiciary was shaken, started a sit-in protest in front of the Urfa Courthouse demanding the perpetrator İbrahim Halil Yıldız and his relatives be tried. She has kept holding her sit-in protest for four seasons despite rain, snow, and heat. Every day, she leaves her house in Suruç to hold the sit-in protest in front of the courthouse. During that time, women have always supported her.

People across Turkey have visited her in front of the courthouse to support her struggle for justice. Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Co-chair Pervin Buldan, members of hundreds of NGOs visited her in 2021 and expressed that they also demand justice for the family.

She will smile again when justice is delivered

Emine Şenyaşar, who was prevented and beaten by the police almost every day in the first week of her sit-in protest, was detained many times on different reasons. She was hospitalized several times due to the attacks of police. Despite everything, she never takes a step back and keeps demanding justice for her killed relatives. Despite her health problems, Emine Şenyaşar, the woman who forgot how to smile, went in front of the courthouse. We know that the only thing that makes her happy again is justice. We know that she will smile again when justice is delivered.

12 investigations were launched against her

The prosecutors did something during that time; they launched 12 investigations against Emine Şenyaşar for demanding justice. In 2021, Emine Şenyaşar was summoned to testify many times as part of these investigations. “Don’t question me, question the killers,” she said in her testimony whenever she was summoned to testify. The scream of Emine Şenyaşar was heard by everyone in Turkey, except for the prosecutors.

“What they are doing is oppression”

Emine Şenyaşar spoke to NuJINHA about her sit-in protest continuing for 300 days. Noting that they will never take a step back despite the oppression against them, Emine Şenyaşar said, “They detained us. They battered me and my son (Ferit Şenyaşar). They did everything to oppress us. Why I am in front of the courthouse because my children were killed. They killed three people. We have demanded justice in front of the courthouse for about a year. What they are doing is oppression.”

“I cannot stay at home anymore”

“They killed my family members. Despite my health problems, I come here every day to demand justice. They opened fire on them in the shop. They hid the footage. They killed people at the hospital. A nurse went mad while a doctor resigned after witnessing the massacre. They deleted all footage to cover their crime. I cannot stay at home anymore. They killed my family members.”

“Prosecutors go to the toilet to hide from us”

Stating that they went to many places to demand justice, Emine Şenyaşar said, “We went to Istanbul and Ankara. When we want to see the prosecutors, they go to the toilet to hide from us. Don't hide, reveal the truth. What are you hiding? Don't you fear God? They put everyone in jail. Justice is necessary not only for me but also for everyone. All prisoners should be released.”

“Release sick prisoners”

Speaking about the ongoing rights violations in prisons, Emine Şenyaşar said, “There are old and sick people in prisons but they aren’t taken to hospital. Isn’t this oppression? Aren’t they human beings? There is no justice but oppression.”