Diyarbakir Medical Chamber announced last week the winner of this year's "Peace, Friendship and Democracy" award, which has been given since the 1990s as part of the 14 March Medicine Day Week. This year the Chamber awarded Emine Şenyaşar, whose husband and two sons were murdered by AKP Urfa MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız relatives and bodyguards. Emine Şenyaşar and her son Ferit have been holding a Vigil for Justice since 9 March 2021.

Speaking at the ceremony, the Şenyaşar family's lawyer, Hidayet Enak, said that the resistance of the family got its place in Turkey's conscience and entered the country's agenda. Underlining that the Vigil for Justice initiated by the family has exposed all the lies of the government, Enak said: “Our duty is to continue this legal struggle and to expose all unlawfulness. The main struggle was given by mother Emine. The Şenyaşar family has been subjected to persecution at the hands of the Yıldız family.”

Stating that many legal initiatives were blocked and evidence was blacked out after the killings, lawyer Enak said that “the government implemented a policy of isolating the family immediately after the events. The authorities acted to completely cover up the truth."

Lawyer Enak finished his speech by describing the events experienced by the Şenyaşar family in the massacre and listing the rights violations that emerged.

After the speeches, a film was screened, which featured the TTB's "Peace, Friendship and Democracy" awards, and the resistance of the Şenyaşar family in front of the courthouse demanding justice.

Şenyaşar family: We won’t give up the fight for justice

Mahmut Ortakaya, a member of the TTB High Honor Board, presented the "Peace, Friendship and Democracy" award to Emine Şenyaşar and her family. The mother said that they could not wait and sit at home after the killings and decided to go and demand justice in front of the Urfa courthouse. Şenyaşar said that she will not give up fighting for justice.