Although the motto of “justice is the foundation of property” is written on the walls of Turkish courts, Emine Şenyaşar has demanded justice written on the walls for a year. Her husband and two sons were killed and one of her sons has been held in prison. All she wants is the punishment of the criminals and the release of her jailed son. “I will keep sitting here until my demands are met. A year has passed; I can sit here one more year. Everyone should join us to demand justice,” she said.

MEDİNE MAMEDOĞLU

Riha – Turkey has never had a state system that secures “justice”. Every day, people demand justice. The family of Gülistan Doku, a university student who went missing on January 5, 2020, has been demanding justice to find their daughter. Saturday Mothers have gathered in Istanbul for years to know the fates of their missing relatives, the relatives of the disappeared have held protests in Diyarbakır and Batman provinces for many years to demand that their relatives who disappeared in the 90s should be found and the perpetrators should be punished. Many mothers, who spent their lives searching for their children’s bones, died; their last wish was to have only graves of their children. Many public employees, who were dismissed by statutory decree, those who have been unjustly arrested, many women victims suffering from the policy of impunity, and much more demand justice in Turkey. Emine Şenyaşar is only one of the people demanding justice in Turkey.

Her husband and two sons were killed

On June 14, 2018, the relatives and bodyguards of AKP MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız killed Celal Şenyaşar, Adil Şenyaşar and Hacı Esvet Şenyaşar. Although they killed three members of the Şenyaşar family in front of everyone, no one has been arrested for four years. Emine Şenyaşar and her son Ferit Şenyaşar have held a sit-in protest in front of the Urfa Courthouse demanding justice for their killed relatives for 365 days, a year.

“They killed my family members, how can I sit at home?” Emine Şenyaşar, who has demanded justice in front of the courthouse despite her health problems for 365 days, says.

Investigations launched against her

Many investigations have been launched against Emine Şenyaşar, who has suffered from many health problems and injustice. Four legal cases have been opened against Emine Şenyaşar for allegedly “insulting a public official” and she has been summoned to testify 14 times until now. She and her son have been taken into custody while holding their sit-in protest in front of the courthouse. Although nine prosecutors have been appointed to the murder case for four years, none of them accepted to meet the family.

“We have faced oppression for a year”

Stating that they began to hold their sit-in protest in front of the courthouse to demand justice for their killed relatives, Emine Şenyaşar said, “We couldn’t find justice nowhere. I couldn’t sit at home and came here to demand justice. We have demanded justice in front of the courthouse for a year. We have faced oppression for a year. The prosecutors didn’t want to meet us. We were battered many times in front of the courthouse.”

Emine Şenyaşar emphasized that although three members of her family were killed, she stands trial, instead of the killers. “Many investigations have been launched against me. The state does everything to cover up the massacre. İbrahim Halil Yıldız sues me because he has the support of the government. Three members of my family were killed but I stand trial,” she said.

“I demand the release of Fadıl”

“I have held the sit-in protest for a year,” Emine Şenyaşar said, “I have held the sit-in protest to demand justice, the release of my son Fadıl. I have suffered from health problems, I barely can see. My son has been held in solitary confinement for four years. But those who killed my children and husband are free. We have only one demand for a year; the release of my son Fadıl and the punishment of the criminals.”

“If necessary, I will hold the sit-in protest for one more year”

Stating that she has taken strength from those who have supported her for a year, Emine Şenyaşar said she expects the same support on March 9. “Everyone hears my voice except Erdoğan and his prosecutors. I will hold the sit-in protest until my demands are met because I cannot sit at home anymore. I may die in front of the courthouse but I will keep demanding justice to the end. Everyone should support us and demand justice with us. They should demand justice not only for us but also for everyone.”