ISTANBUL - Speaking in front of the Istanbul Courthouse before the hearing of the lawsuit filed against 46 people detained during the 700th week of the Saturday Mothers' protest, Ayşe Tepe said: ‘’We are the ones who want to be intimidated and silenced because we say 'where are our children'. But we are also the ones who never give up.’’

The Istanbul Branch of the Human Rights Association (IHD) made a statement before the second hearing of the case, which will be held at the Istanbul 21st Criminal Court of First Instance, in Çağlayan about 46 people who were detained during the police intervention against the Saturday Mothers' 700th week protest. In the statement made in front of the courthouse, People's Democratic Party (HDP) MPs Oya Ersoy, Züleyha Gülüm, Republican People's Party (CHP) MPs Ali Şeker and Sezgin Tanrıkulu, Istanbul, Diyarbakır, Van and Ankara bar association executives, IHD Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan, as well as many intellectuals and artists participated. In the statement, the banner ‘’It is on trial in this case is our search for truth and justice’’ was unfurled.

‘We are ones who not give up!’

Ayşe Tepe, sister of Özgür Gündem reporter Ferhat Tepe, who was kidnapped and murdered, said:  ‘’We are mothers, children, siblings, defenders of rights, who waged the most peaceful and just struggle in the world for 850 weeks. We are the ones who have been detained and subjected to violence by those who turn their ears to our demands. We are the ones who are wanted to be dragged into court, to be intimidated and silenced because we use our constitutional right and say ‘where are our children’. But we are also the ones who never give up. We are not silent. We are the ones who do not give up. We are the ones who will not give up until we know the fate of each of our disappeared children.’’

‘We will not give up from Galatasaray’

Expressing that those on trial have a will that does not give up, Ayşe continued: ‘’Today, what is being tried here is our constitutional rights. We will not give up on exercising our constitutional rights. We will not give up on Galatasaray Square, which we have chosen to exercise this right and where we have been sitting for 700 weeks without a single incident arising from us. Even if you file not one but a thousand lawsuits, we will never give up on our main cause, shouting, ‘Where are our children?’’

‘The truth always wins’

IHD Co-Chair Öztürk Türkdoğan also said that the lawsuit should result in an acquittal immediately. Öztürk said: ‘’This lawsuit is a lawsuit filed to intimidate the relatives of the disappeared and human rights defenders who seek rights, justice and truth. But there is something forgotten; The pursuit of truth and truth always wins. The pursuit of truth and truth is always legitimate. Therefore, no one should try to intimidate human rights defenders with such cases. Those who opened this case should actually be tried on the dock. We will conclude the search for truth and truth. And I believe that this case will result in acquittal today. I hope they will hear our voice and put an end to this meaningless lawsuit today.’’

Then Van, Diyarbakır and Istanbul bar association executives expressed that they would follow the case.

After the speeches, the mass went to the courthouse to attend the hearing.