Amed Bar Association administrators and members commemorated Tahir Elçi on the first year anniversary of his murder. Police officers prevented people from commemorating Elçi on Yenikapı Street where he had been killed. Elçi was commemorated at the entrance of Yenikapı Street.

Tahir Elçi’s wife Türkan Elçi, HDP and CHP parliamentarians, Amed Bar Association President Ahmet Özmen, representatives of non-governmental organizations and political parties, and many lawyers participated in the commemoration event. Participants listened to the voice recording of the speech Elçi was giving right before his death, and observed a minute of silence at 10:53 when Elçi was shot.

ÖZMEN: HE WAS THE SCREAM OF THOSE THAT HAD BEEN DISAPPEARED

Amed Bar Association President Ahmet Özmen emphasized that Elçi dedicated his life to the struggle for human rights, and said “He was oppressed people’s guide in their search for justice and the voice of peace. Tahir Elçi was the scream of those that had been disappeared.” Özmen criticized the recent destruction of Kurdish cities, the killing of thousands of people, the forced exile of hundreds of thousands of civilians, and destruction of historical and cultural heritage during curfews, and said that the few democratic gains have been lost and violence and security policies replaced dialogue and negotiation.

'WE WILL NEVER ALLOW'

Özmen emphasized that they would follow the court file on Elçi’s murder and never allow this case to be one of the infamous ‘unidentified murders,’ and reiterated that they would honor the legacy of Elçi and struggle for peace, democracy, freedom and human rights.

Participants of the commemoration event left clove flowers on the street and marched to the Amed Bar Association office afterwards. People will continue to commemorate Elçi at his grave and in other venues across Amed.