Peoples' Democratic Congress-Europe (HDK-A) condemned in a written statement the attack ordered by the state against the Saturday Mothers in Istanbul on 25 August.

The HDK-A statement reads: "Our Saturday Mothers, who gathered every Saturday for 700 weeks to demand justice and the truth about the fate of their relatives, were attacked by police”. 

Galatasaray Square, underlined the statement “was besieged by police and special riot police under the orders of Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu. The announcement of the prohibition to hold the action at the usual time was met with a firm stance driven by the legitimacy of the action held every Saturday”.

For hours the Saturday Mothers and participants were subjected to violent attacks and repression, yet, as the statement stressed, they could carry out their action.

“From Chile to Argentina, Turkey and Kurdistan fascist juntas have always rejected the demand for justice with terror and this slaughter policy. - said the statement - This action has been held for 23 years. Does Erdogan wants to revive the policy of terror?”

The HDK-A pointed out that in many European countries, as soon as the images of the police repression on Galatasaray went online, people held demonstrations to support the Saturday Mothers. “We condemn the repression and demand the release of the people still in custody”.