ISTANBUL - Saturday Mothers gathered in Istanbul's Galatasaray Square for 662 times and they asked the perpetrators of İbrahim Demir, Agit Akipa, forcibly disappeared in custody 26 years ago and they commemorated their lawyer Tahir Elçi.

 

Like every week, Saturday Mothers unfurled a banner reading “The perpetrators are known where the disappeared are” and they put the carnations on it and held the pictures of their loved ones. Tahir Elçi’s wife Türkan Elçi, lawyers and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) Istanbul MPs Filiz Kerestecioğlu, Garo Paylan and the Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul MP Mahmut Tanal joined this week protest. İkbal Eren, sister of Hayrettin Eren- he was disappeared in 1980s- first began to speak and she said, “Tahir Elçi was killed while following the cases of unsolved murders, demanding peace, saying the weapons should be buried in this region. The perpetrators haven’t been found for two years.

 

‘Killers of Tahir are also unknown’

 

İkbal recalled that a case hasn’t been opened even though two years have passed after the murder of Tahir Elçi, “The perpetrators haven’t been found. We have demanded peace for 37 years; this means this is a policy of the state. The only different between us and Elçi’s family is that they have a grave to put flowers on it. There is no difference except this. No case has been opened regarding killing of Tahir Elçi, his perpetrators are also unknown.”

 

‘He was killed while seeking justice’

 

After İkbal, Fehmi Akipa, son of Agit Akipa, began to talk. Stating that Tahir Elçi was the lawyer for the case of his father, Agit said, “He was killed while seeking justice. We have demanded justice for 26 years. Noting that Tahir Elçi had fought for justice and peace, Fehmi said they would keep their struggle; “We have hope, peace will win. Our children will see this even if we don’t”.