Sit-in protest in front of courthouse: Emine, Ferit Şenyaşar detained

* Photo: MA

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With her two sons and husband killed by AKP Urfa MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız's relatives and one son arrested, Emine Şenyaşar and her son Ferit Şenyaşar have been staging a sit-in protest in front of Urfa Courthouse for 17 days, demanding justice for their killed and arrested family members.

The police once again intervened against their protest today (March 25), taking them into custody for the second time since March 15, 2021.

As reported by Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Emine and Ferit Şenyaşar came in front of the courthouse in the early morning hours today and placed their banners expressing their demands for justice.

Shortly afterwards, the police came to them and said that it was a public building and they could not allow the easels to be placed there. The police then seized the easels carrying the photos and banners.

Ferit Şenyaşar protested the intervention, saying, "We have been here for 17 days. We did whatever you said. We were inside at first, you took us out. I won't take even a step back from here even if you kill me."

Having seized the easels, the police surrounded the family. They also prevented reporters from capturing the moment of intervention, claiming that "they had captured enough." They also did a criminal record check on the press members covering the protest and intervention.

Police then took Emine Şenyaşar and Ferit Şenyaşar into custody. The detained mother and son have been taken to Urfa Security Directorate.

What happened?

During the election campaign of ruling AKP Urfa MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız in Suruç, Urfa on June 14, 2018, an attack turned into an armed conflict, which claimed the lives of Yıldız's brother Mehmet Şah Yıldız, shop owner Hacı Esvet Şenyaşar and his sons Adil and Celal Şenyaşar.

Having lost his father and two brothers and been wounded himself in the incident, Fadıl Şenyaşar was discharged from hospital and detained on June 17. He was then arrested and sent to prison. (RT/SD)