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Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu, who is also the Deputy Chair of Parliamentary Commission on Human Rights, has received an answer to his Parliamentary question regarding the ban on Galatasaray Square.
Since the 700th week of their gathering on August 25, 2018, Saturday Mothers/People have been prevented from meeting at the square.
Tanrıkulu addressed his Parliamentary question to the Ministry of Interior in December 2018. The Ministry has responded 13 months later.
Referring to the Law no. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations, the Ministry has indicated that the relevant authorities are to be informed about the events/demonstrations beforehand and the sites and routes for meetings and demonstrations are designated by Governorships.
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Indicating that Saturday Mothers/People did not make an application as per the Law no. 2911, the Ministry has stated, "Within this framework, the area called Galatasaray Square is not one of the sites designated by the Governorship of İstanbul for meetings and demonstrations."
"It has been understood that the group called Saturday Mothers did not make any notices with the aim of organizing a demonstration/ an event", the Ministry has indicated further.
According to the response of the Ministry, "With regard to the statements for the press/events/demonstrations to be held by the group called 'Saturday Mothers' between August 25, 2018 and December 29, 2018, the related proceedings were undertaken by the Beyoğlu Sub-Governorship as per the Article 32/ç of the Law no. 5442 Law for Provincial Administration."
The article in question stipulates that "within the borders of the district, the establishment of peace and security, safety concerning personal immunity, public welfare and preventive law enforcement authority are tasks and duties of the sub-governor." Accordingly, "the sub-governor takes the necessary decisions and precautions to ensure them."
Tanrıkulu: The answer is against the Constitution
Speaking to bianet about the response of the Ministry of Interior, Sezgin Tanrıkulu has stated that the late response is a problem in itself:
"The fact that the answer was given after more than a year also shows how the supervisory power of the Parliament functions. Moreover, no full and clear answers have been given to my questions.
"It is said that Saturday Mothers made a statement for the press without getting a permission. But, the law allows everyone to hold a meeting and statement for the press without a permission. One does not have to get a permission for that. This answer is against the Constitution.
"Other than that, Saturday Mothers sat in Galatasaray Square for 700 weeks. President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan himself met with the mothers. For 15 years, they sat in that square during the rule of this government. If this protest is against the law, why did they allow it till then?
"The sit-in protests of Saturday Mothers are a struggle for mourning, rights and justice. The ban on Galatasaray Square means that freedom of expression has been trampled upon by the government."
Ocak: They should first read the Constitution
Maside Ocak, the sister of Hasan Ocak, who lost his life after being tortured by the police in custody, has also commented on the answer of the Ministry of Interior. One of the first persons who started protesting in the square, Maside Ocak has stated the following:
"One does not need to get permission to make a statement for the press. The Article 34 of the Constitution puts that forward quite clearly. It is openly a violation of the Constitution. For 700 weeks, we used our Constitutional right. Those who say that we have to get a permission to make a statement should first open and read the Constitution."
Tanrıkulu asked the following questions: * Is it true that Galatasaray Square has been taken hostage to ban the protests of Saturday Mothers? * When will Galatasaray Square be released? * Is there another square, monument, statue or construction blockaded like that in Turkey? If yes, which buildings are they and when was it put into effect? |
About Saturday Mothers/People
It was 24 years ago on May 27, 1995 that Saturday Mothers/People gathered for the first time at Galatasaray Square for the ones disappeared in custody. The first sit-in protests started after the deceased body of Hasan Ocak, who was taken into custody on March 21, 1995, was found in the Cemetery of the Nameless after being tortured. The Saturday protests at Galatasaray Square were interrupted for an indefinite period of time on March 13, 1999 due to heavy police intervention for the last three years. The interruption continued for the next 10 years. The silent sit-in protests of Saturday Mothers/People, which they started again at Galatasaray Square in 2009, continued until the police intervention in August 2018. The relatives of the ones disappeared in custody and rights defenders have been prevented from reading out their statements and coming together at Galatasaray Square since then. For that reason, the weekly sessions of Saturday Mothers/People are held and statements for the press are read out in front of the Human Rights Association (İHD) İstanbul Office. |
(RT/SD)
