Mothers of Military Students Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Taken into Custody

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The mothers of military students who were arrested after the July 15 coup attempt in 2016 and have been sentenced to life imprisonment and the mother of Mustafa Yılmaz, who has been missing for seven months, came together in front of the Parliament in Ankara today (October 2).

CLICK - Mothers of Convicted Military Students to Stage a Sit-in Protest

Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Kocaeli MP Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu and Felicity Party (SP) İstanbul MP Cihangir İslam also supported the protest of mothers. Gergerlioğlu shared the protest on his Twitter account:

Harbiyeli anneleri eylem yapıyor destek oluyorum... https://t.co/HWgab1FHuh

— Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu (@gergerliogluof) October 2, 2019

After the mothers started talking about the situation of their children and expressed their requests, the police told mothers that the protest was not legal and attempted to prevent it.

Reacting against the police, the MPs said that they could meet anyone in front of the Parliament and continued meeting with the families.

'Our children are undeservedly accused'

As reported by Mezopotamya Agency, mother Melek Çetinkaya said that 19-year-old military students have been sentenced to life imprisonment and hundreds of people are unlawfully kept in prison. Çetinkaya stated:

"After July 15, the media covered our children in their news, calling them 'heroic soldiers'. The ballistics of our children were taken and even though it is apparent that they did not open fire and did not kill anybody, they try to blame the coup attempt of July 15 on military students and 15-day privates.

"We have been at the Parliament for three years. We are telling it to all MPs. However, no solutions could be found in any way. We demand the freedom of our children. Privates who did not leave their units, children who joined the army on that day have been sentenced to life imprisonment."

Mothers battered

SP MP Cihangir İslam indicated that they are dealing with the issue as the SP, Republican People's Party (CHP) and Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), adding that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) need to concern themselves with the issue as well.

While İslam was still speaking, police officers tried to move the mothers and MPs away from the area. 12 mothers were battered in the ensuing commotion and taken into custody by the police.

Journalist threatened

The police who detained the mothers threatened a Mezopotamya Agency reporter following the incident by saying, "We have been seeing you everywhere lately. It will not end well for you".

MPs İslam and Gergerlioğlu have denounced the detention of mothers. Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu said that "these images indicate that the law and democracy have been trampled upon in Turkey." (EMK/SD)