In 1995, women in Istanbul took to the streets for the first time to draw attention to relatives who had been arrested and then disappeared. Since a large-scale attack on the Saturday Mothers ordered by the Ministry of Interior in the summer five years ago, Galatasaray Square has been a no-go zone for the Saturday Mothers. But this is contrary to the right to freedom of assembly and demonstration, ruled the Turkish Constitutional Court on 22 February 2023, rejecting the ministry's objection that the Saturday Mothers threatened the "protection of public order". "Everyone has the right to take part in unarmed and peaceful assemblies and demonstrations without prior permission," says Article 34 of the Turkish Constitution, which the security authorities violated by banning the Saturday Mothers' forcefully dispersed action in August 2018 and all subsequent ones. The blockade of the square is therefore invalid, said the court ruling. The Turkish Interior Ministry and the Istanbul police ignore the ruling and continue to violently crack down on Saturday Mothers.

For the past 10 weeks, the Saturday Mothers have been prevented by the police citing the decision of the Beyoğlu District Governor's Office as the reason for the ban and mass detention of human rights defenders during the action every Saturday.

Human Rights Association (IHD) Chair Eren Keskin, who is among those subjected to brutal police violence every Saturday, spoke to ANF about the systematic maltreatment of the Saturday Mothers.

'There is no rule of law in Turkey'

Keskin noted that the Saturday Mothers had been fighting since 1995 to reveal the fate of their disappeared relatives and to ensure the prosecution and punishment of the perpetrators and have been denied the legitimate right to demonstrate since 2018.  

Commenting on the Constitutional Court ruling, Keskin said: “In a country where there is a rule of law, there can be no ruling beyond the supreme court. Turkey, however, is not a state of law and the government’s bans are always considered above the law and court rulings. We go to Galatasaray Square every week and remind of the decision of the Constitutional Court. Still, they ban our action citing the Beyoğlu District Governor's decision.”

'No appointment is given'

Keskin underlined that the ban was in fact issued by the Ministry of Interior, adding: “We requested an appointment from the newly appointed Minister of Interior to talk about the bans and the maltreatment of Saturday Mothers. However, even though 10 days have passed, the same obstacles continue and no appointment has been given.”

'We can't meet our basic needs under detention'

Pointing to the mass detention of activists during every week of action by Saturday Mothers,

Keskin continued: “We go to Galatasary Square by our own will. There can be no question of violence in actions organized by the IHD anyway. We defend our activities and act with this awareness even when we are detained. Despite this fact, we have been handcuffed behind the back and taken into custody several times. We are kept in a police bus for hours without even being able to meet our basic needs. All these acts are violations of rights and practices of ill-treatment. Even torture. For example, the last time I was detained, I was subjected to violence in a police bus. These are all forms of maltreatment.”

'We will never give up on Galatasaray Square'

Keskin underlined that the maltreatment they faced every week was intimidation. She concluded: “How can a protest that has been going on since 1995 without any problem be considered a ‘threat’ now? It is not possible to understand or accept this. We will not accept this, and we will never give up on Galatasaray Square.”