The Saturday Mothers and the Human Rights Association (IHD) Istanbul Branch marked the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances.

In a statement, the organisations demanded that Turkey sign and implement the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

The statement said: "Even though marked by heavy brutality and endless mourning and torture, our story is actually a struggle for truth and justice against oppression and denial. We call on the judicial authorities to end the existing impunity and impartially and courageously carry out the investigations and prosecutions regarding disappearances in detention. We call on the government to immediately sign and implement the United Nations Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance."

The statement added: "We call on national and international mechanisms for the protection of human rights to take action against grave violations suffered by the relatives of the disappeared, as a requirement of their founding purpose."