Following the call of the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Urfa Branch, 200 lawyers participated in the Justice Vigil to give support to the Senyaşar family. 200 lawyers, including ÖHD, Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD) members and bar association heads, made a press statement during the vigil. Before the statement, the lawyers were surrounded by the police with shields.

ÖHD Urfa Branch co-chair Ali Arslan, who read out the joint statement, thanked the bar associations and lawyers for their support. “The massacre in the hospital, which is a public institution, was carried out brutally in front of the governor, the former Minister of Agriculture Ahmet Eşref Fakıbaba, the police and the hospital staff,” Arslan said.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED FOR 200 DAYS?

Arslan stated that an effective investigation has not been carried out for 3 years and the perpetrators have not been revealed. He underlined that the Justice Vigil, initiated by the family on March 9, demands that the “confidentiality order on the file be lifted, an effective investigation carried out and the perpetrators exposed and punished.”

Arslan explained the process that has been going on for 200 days as follows: “The family went to the AKP Urfa office on December 16, 2020, to meet the provincial head of the party. Rejected by the provincial head, Mother Emine Şenyaşar and her son Ferit Şenyaşar started a sit-in in front of the AKP provincial building. The mother and son were detained upon the provincial head's complaint and remained in custody for one day. On March 9, 2021, the family started the justice vigil in front of the Urfa Courthouse saying that “we have no patience left”.

On March 16, 2021, the 7th day of their vigil, the mother was detained on the grounds that she insulted a public official in her laments. After DTK co-chair Berdan Öztürk and DBP co-chairs Saliha Aydeniz and Keskin Bayındır visited the family on the 17th day of their protest, the family was detained for “opposing the law on meetings and demonstrations”.

On March 31, 2021, the 22nd day of their vigil, the mother and son were detained without any justification.

On March 30, 2021, the 21st day of the vigil, Ferit Şenyaşar was summoned to the Suruç District Police Department upon the complaint of Süleyman Yıldız, brother of AKP Deputy İbrahim Halil Yıldız. On the 73rd day of their protests, the family was battered and detained for allegedly insulting a public official before HDP co-chair Pervin Buldan's visit. The mother and son were released after their statements were taken in the evening of the same day.

On August 12, 2021, the police intervened in the vigil and imposed an administrative fine on Ferit Şenyaşar, citing the banner hung on the barriers.

A lawsuit was filed against Emine Şenyaşar for insulting AKP deputy İbrahim Halil Yıldız who is responsible for the massacre. Emine Şenyaşar is facing a prison sentence of up to 4 years.

Despite all the crackdown and detentions, the family did not give up and continues its actions on the 200th day with the same determination and strength.”

FAMILY'S DEMAND ENDORSED

The lawyer continued, “We believe that getting results in the Senyaşar family's search for justice is important to restore trust in law and justice at a time when lawlessness is rampant in Turkey. Crimes committed by public officials are granted with impunity in Turkey. The Şenyaşar family’s demand for justice is endorsed by all of us.

We will continue to be the voice of mother Emine. We are here today to put an end to lawlessness and to halt this persecution.”

'THEY WANT TO COVER IT UP'

Family’s lawyer Bülent Duran talked about the massacre, saying, “This massacre took place despite Emine Şenyaşar's testimony. Fadıl Şenyaşar was the first to be arrested afterwards. He was taken from the hospital and jailed despite the fact that he was unconscious.

The support for the vigil of Senyaşar family today is valuable. If the murder is covered up by the ruling party, this will not be the Şenyaşar family's fault. Everyone needs to work hard to expose these perpetrators. We are with the family today, as we will be tomorrow,” he said.

SPEECHES BY THE HEADS OF BAR ASSOCIATIONS

After the family lawyer, the heads of the bar associations made speeches. “The demand for justice has been expressed for almost three years. Justice is the demand of all of us. We want the confidentiality order to be lifted. Why has there been no progress in the file for three and a half years? We are waiting for an answer,” Urfa Bar Association head Mehmet Velat Izol said.

“As bar associations and lawyers, we will continue to stand by the family in this honourable struggle. We will be with you not only in courtrooms but also in your protests. As the Diyarbakır Bar Association, we will continue to stand with you no matter where this case may lead,” Amed Bar Association head Nahit Eren said.

“Instead of understanding this vigil that has been going on for 200 days, the prosecutor's office has decided to file a lawsuit against mother Emine. We will continue to stand with the family,” Van Bar Association vice-chair Hamza Çiftçi said.

Finally, Ferit Şenyaşar talked about what happened in their workplace and at the Suruç State Hospital. “They lynched and killed my father in front of my mother. They killed my wounded brothers with 24 bullets. These shields will not cover the crime against humanity. This is a crime against humanity. A mother's two sons and her husband were murdered. She is sitting in front of the courthouse and not allowed to go inside. How can you say that it is a court of justice?

Afterwards, the lawyers continued the Justice Vigil with the family. The lawyers did not go to the courthouse on the grounds that the Attorney General was on leave. The lawyers' statement ended with applause.