Aid, Solidarity, Unity and Culture Association with Families Losing Their Relatives in the Cradle of Civilizations (MEBYA-DER) held its third ordinary congress in a facility located in Bajarê Nû (Yenişehir) district of Amed with the slogan "Let's protect our values with the spirit of 14 July".

Many people attended the congress, as well as representatives of civil society organizations and political parties.

MEBYA-DER co-chair Yüksel Almas said: "We hope that people do not die. Dirty games are played on families and torture is being carried out. In this territory, they put 3 bodies in one grave, desecrated our bodies, and sent our children’s bodies to their families by post. Despite all the pressures, we will continue to stand up for our values. If the prison doors were open, if Mr. Abdullah Öcalan could have his rights to visit granted, the situation would not have been this bad."

Green Left Party Urfa MP, Ömer Öcalan, said: "We are going through difficult times, but these days are not worse than the conditions in which our prisoners lived in Amed prison in the ‘80s. It is not harder than the struggle our comrades are waging for the freedom of our people. These are days of historical importance. If we join hands these days, we will achieve freedom. Our greatest goal is the freedom of Mr. Abdullah Öcalan."

Deputy Ömer Öcalan protested the use of chemical and banned weapons in Zap, Avaşîn and Metîna, and said: "Chemical and banned weapons are used against the children of our people in the mountains of Kurdistan. They are assassinated every day."

MEBYA-DER co-chair, Şehmus Karadağ said: "For years, policies have been carried out to end and assimilate the Kurdish people. The Turkish state is trying every way to eliminate the Kurds. Against their dirty politics, our policy is resistance. We will never take a step back."

Mürvet Demir, one of the Peace Mothers, said that MEBYA-DER should be protected. Mehmet Emin Kılıç and Semra Akkoç were elected as the new co-chairs of the association.