Emine Şenyaşar summoned to depose for ‘insulting’ Interior Minister Soylu

* Photo: Mezopotamya Agency (MA)

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Emine Şenyaşar lost her spouse and two sons in an attack by the security guards and relatives of İbrahim Halil Yıldız from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Urfa. She and her son Ferit Şenyaşar, who survived the attack, have been demanding justice for six months now.

Keeping a justice watch in front of the Urfa courthouse for 189 days as of today (September 13), Emine Şenyaşar was summoned by the Urfa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to give her statement as to the charged offense of "insulting" Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu.

As reported by the Mezopotamya Agency (MA), Şenyaşar was summoned to depose over her statement on the 86th day of her Justice Watch on June 2, 2021. A lawsuit was also filed against Emine Şenyaşar over the same speech on charge of "insulting" AKP MP İbrahim Halil Yıldız.

Emine Şenyaşar went to the courthouse together with her son Ferit Şenyaşar and lawyer Gökhan Dayık. In her statement at the prosecutor's office, she said that she had not insulted Süleyman Soylu.

'The aim is to daunt the family'

Speaking after his client gave her statement, lawyer Dayık reiterated that Emine Şenyaşar had not insulted Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, underlining that the trial over "insult" and the statement taken from her were aimed at daunting the family in their struggle for justice:

"A few days ago, a lawsuit was filed against her on the grounds that she allegedly insulted AKP's İbrahim Halil Yıldız. She was summoned to depose today. In her statement, my client indicated that the allegations were not true. These ongoing investigations and detentions are oriented towards breaking down the family's struggle; it is obvious.

"We, as the lawyers of the family, will keep on standing with them and following up the file. Everyone who has a conscience should not leave the family alone in this process. They should speak up for them.

"The family's only demand is for justice."

After Emine Şenyaşar gave her statement, the family kept on keeping their justice watch in front of the Urfa Courthouse.

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.

Demanding justice for two sons, husband and her arrested son, Emine Şenyaşar and her son Ferit Şenyaşar, who survived the attack, have been keeping a "justice watch" in front of the courthouse. (KÖ/SD)