Saturday Mothers have continued their action in Istanbul for their relatives who disappeared in state custody and the punishment of the perpetrators for the 960th week. Despite a contrary ruling by the Turkish Constitutional Court, the initiative was again denied access to their ancestral rally site in front of the Galatasaray High School on Istiklal Avenue.

The Galatasaray Square in front of the high school of the same name in the central district of Beyoğlu, where the Saturday Mothers' sit-in was to take place, is considered a symbolic place for the struggle for human rights in Turkey.

This week’s action by Saturday Mothers was supported by the HDK (Peoples’ Democratic Congress) Co-Spokesperson and Green Left Party MP Cengiz Çiçek and former HDP Peoples’ Democratic Party) MP Musa Piroğlu.

Citing the “ban” imposed by Beyoğlu District Governor’s Office, the police cordoned off the rally site and the side streets with barriers hours before. The Saturday Mothers and their supporters nevertheless walked towards the square and were stopped and surrounded by the police with shields. Journalists who wanted to document the action were pushed back. Many passers-by protested against the police action. People who wanted to film the event and distribute it on social media were also obstructed by the police.

21 people were taken into custody in the crackdown, handcuffed behind their backs and taken to a police station. Those trying to prevent the detentions were insulted by the police.