Human rights defender and Amed Bar Association President Tahir Elçi was shot and killed two years ago today as he was reading a press statement in front of the Four Pillared Minaret in Sur, and a commemoration was held today at the same spot. The commemoration was held by the Amed Bar Association. The police surrounded the area beforehand and “searched for bombs” with dogs. The mourners were not allowed to enter the Yenikapı street where Tahir Elçi was shot because it’s in the “curfew zone”.

The commemoration was held by the entrance of the street Tahir Elçi was murdered in with a special permit from the Diyarbakır Governorate due to the State of Emergency.

Tahir Elçi’s wife Türkan Elçi, MPs from the CHP (Republican People’s Party - Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi ) and HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party - Halkların Demokratik Partisi), presidents of bar associations academics, human rights defenders, intellectuals, writers, NGO and political party representatives and many lawyers participated in the commemoration. Banners that read “We will not forget you” in Turkish and Kurdish with Elçi’s photograph on it and “We don’t want clashes or operations in this site of common heritage of humanity”, which were what Tahir Elçi was saying before he was murdered, were put up and signs with Elçi’s photographs were held up by the mourners.

A recording of the press statement Elçi read in front of the Four Pillared Minaret before he was murdered was played out loud. A minute’s silence was held at 10.53, the time of Elçi’s murder, and Diyarbakır Bar Association President Ahmet Özmen read a statement.

Özmen stressed that in the two years since, the pain and fury in their hearts had multiplied. He continued: “We know that death is often like a sharp piece of broken glass, and is a pain in the heart forever for the ones left behind. And we know that this pain leaves a voice for tomorrow. This is the voice of the law, conscience and justice that will never be silenced, this is the voice of Tahir Elçi. We repeat once more with this belief, we are of the voice of Tahir Elçi.”

Özmen stated that the voice Elçi raised two years ago in the site of his murder calling on all sides to stop the war, the operations and the conflict not being heard has creaed great damage and ruptures in the political, legal and social areas and added: “As a continuation of these negativities, the country has fallen further away from democratic gains and entered an oppressive regime like never before. Universal human rights law and democratic and individual rights have been suspended and press freedom, rights to organization and union rights which are inalienable in democratic political regimes have been restricted.”

Özmen said the July of 2015 was the beginning of a new era for Turkey in which the country faced issues that are difficult to mend and continued: “After this, the date November 28, 2015 on which Tahir Elçi was murdered marked the beginning of a process that took Turkey blatantly away from democracy and peace. From that date onwards, the new process that started with the political power turning its back to democratic values has also marked the beginning of an increase in human rights violations, the spread of conflict in civilian residential areas, migrations and an emotional rupture. Solution, dialogue and negotiations have been replaced again by violence and security policies. In the two years since, issues our eternal president has pointed out and put his life on the line to prevent have come to pass with all their weight and have created deep wounds in society that can’t be erased.”

Özmen pointed out that Turkey has fallen further away from democracy in this process and reaching a solution for the Kurdish issue within the framework of democratic principles has become more difficult and added: “As experienced before, the fundamental reason for the deep political crises in the country has been the Turkish state moving away from democratic norms. The move away from democratic norms has manifested in the state returning to security policies in the Kurdish issue and thus society has been pushed to the weariness of clashes and victimhood. The murder of Tahir Elçi marked exactly the beginning of this turn away from the political and democratic foundations. Lifting the State of Emergency regime, facing the past and shedding light on the assassination of Tahir Elçi will in this sense create a foundation for normalization and allow for the issues to be discussed on a democratic foundation away from violence. Unfortunately it is our observation that the political power is not putting forth the will to start this normalization.”

Özmen pointed out that even though it has been two years since the assassination of Tahir Elçi, there has been no concrete developments in finding out the perpetrators: “The Tahir Elçi case is not taken seriously and investigated meticulously, rather it is treated as an ordinary investigation file. The prime minister and justice minister of the time had promised to ‘find the perpetrators’, but the ones that made the promise have been acting against their promises, in a typical example of the state reflex. This gives us concern, but we hold on and we have to hold on to our hope that justice will be done. As long as this assassination is left in the dark, the Turkish legal system’s scales will remain unbalanced.”

“Shedding light to all aspects of the Tahir Elçi assassination that gave way to the start of a new and dark period will be possible through a strong and effective public will and governmental support,” said Özmen and continued: “As per the responsibility of the state, our expectations, demands and wishes are rightful and legitimate. We are calling on those who assumed responsibility for even the sheep caught by wolves by the river Tigris during their time as Prime Minister in this country: Tahir Elçi was a bar association president, a respected law man and a human rights defender. He was murdered not by the river Tigris, but in the center of Diyarbakır in front of dozens of camera, almost during live broadcast. We expect you to fulfill your responsibility as today’s President.

We as the Diyarbakır Bar Association members remember our eternal president who dedicated his life to fight severe human rights violations and defended peace and democracy against violence even with his last breath in the second year of him being taken from us, and we state that we will continue his fight for peace, democracy, freedom and human rights.”

Türkan Elçi and other mourners left red carnations and photographs of Tahir Elçi on the tarp that covered the street and in front of the police barriers after the speech. Some mourners tore the tarp that covered the street and threw the red carnations they had over to the street of the Four Pillared Minaret.

During the day, commemorations for Tahir Elçi will continue by his grave and in activities in various locations throughout the city.