Turkish police have again attacked the Saturday Mothers' initiative at Galatasaray Square in downtown Istanbul. The initiative wanted to make a statement on "disappearances" in state custody and demand punishment for the perpetrators on Istiklal Avenue. As in the previous week, demonstrators were attacked and taken into custody by the police.

The Chairperson of the Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul branch, Gülseren Yoleri, the Media Union President Faruk Eren as well as Hanım Tosun, Hanife Yıldız, Ali Ocak, Besna Tosun, Mikail Kırbayır, Jiyan Tosun, Irfan Bilgin, Hasan Karakoç, Kenan Yıldızerler and Zekine Türkeri were taken away by the police. In the prison van, the detainees held pictures of their missing relatives on the windows and made the victory sign. HDP MP Musa Piroğlu came to the square after the police raid and protested against the detentions.

The Saturday Mothers have been demanding information about their relatives who have disappeared since the 1990s at Galatasaray Square for decades. Since a massive police raid in August 2018, the rally in the square has been banned. By order of the Ministry of Interior, a new ban order is issued every week for gatherings of the group. However, according to a ruling by the Turkish Constitutional Court on 22 February 2023, this contradicts the right to freedom of assembly. Last week, the Saturday Mothers and their supporters therefore demanded the implementation of the ruling at Galatasaray Square. However, the Ministry of Interior and the Central Authority of the Turkish Police are still preventing the initiative from gathering in their traditional square. Last Saturday, 15 people were detained, including IHD co-chair Eren Keskin.