Emine Şenyaşar, who lost her husband and two sons in an armed attack carried out by AKP MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız’s bodyguards and relatives in Suruç district of Urfa on 14 June 2018, and her son Ferit Şenyaşar, who was injured in the same attack, continue their Vigil for Justice in front of Urfa Courthouse on its 302nd day. Mother Şenyaşar and her son launched today’s vigil with a banner reading “We demand Justice” in front of Urfa Courthouse 42 km away from the family’s home in Suruç district. 

Governor rejects the family's request to put up a tent

Ferit Şenyaşar, who attended the People’s Forum held by the United Struggle Forces (BMG) in Istanbul on 2 December, said that he paid visits demanding legal support in Istanbul. “Due to the ongoing judicial process about the incident, nobody can intervene in the case. Today, we are in front of Urfa Courthouse once again, and our struggle is ongoing. The temperature is at 2 degrees. We can hardly talk due to cold weather. We are rightful; we will keep our struggle going despite sub-zero temperatures. We applied to Şanlıurfa Governorate to put up a tent here to hold our vigil there. The governor's office rejected this humanitarian request,” said Şenyaşar.

Underlining that his mother is 65 years old, Şenyaşar added, “My mother has two rightful demands. Her husband and two sons were killed before her eyes in the hospital; the case file has not opened. My brother Fadıl Şenyaşar has been held in prison on unlawful grounds for almost four years. As far as we continue our vigil for justice, nobody should talk about the existence of rights, law, and justice in Turkey.”

‘We are determined; justice will be done’

AKP MPs cannot face the people in Urfa, said Ferit Şenyaşar, continuing, “Because, all the people of Urfa support our rightful demands. The people indicate our vigil in front of Urfa Courthouse to all elected officials coming to Urfa and ask for an end to this persecution in the first place. We are determined to continue our struggle; justice will be done.”

Şenyaşar family shared the following on their social media account: “Our vigil for justice is continuing despite 2 degrees of temperature in winter. The Governorate rejected our demand to put up a tent, while our demand for justice has not been met either. While a mother is standing in front of Şanlıurfa Courthouse in this cold weather, the officials are watching this in the media.”