Emine Şenyaşar to be granted ‘Peace, Fellowship and Democracy Award’

* Photo: Mezopotamya Agency (MA)

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The Diyarbakır Medical Chamber has been granting the "Peace, Fellowship and Democracy Award" every year since 1995. The Chamber has announced that this year's award will be granted to Emine Şenyaşar.

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 seeking justice since then.

Announcing this year's laureate at a press conference at the office of the medical chamber and referring to the family's justice watch in front of the Urfa courthouse, Diyarbakır Medical Chamber Chair Elif Turan said that the award will be granted to Emine Şenyaşar, "who has been determinedly keeping a justice watch for 360 days despite all types of pressure, intervention, detentions and bad weather conditions."

Turan said, "We reiterate that we side with Emine Şenyaşar, who stands up agaşnst policies of impunity with her resolute and peaceful protests, in her rightful struggle for justice and that she is not alone; we are honored to grant the Peace, Fellowship and Democracy Award to her."

Turan expressed her "hopes that the award will encourage the ones who wage a struggle for equality, freedom, peace, democracy and justice."

The award-giving ceremony will be held on March 12.

* Photo: Diyarbakır Medical Chamber

Jury members

Turkish Medical Association (TTB), Diyarbakır Medical Chamber, Practicing Physicians Association, Diyarbakır Bar Association, Diyarbakır Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Diyarbakır Chamber of Dentists, Diyarbakır Chamber of Pharmacists, Human Rights Association (İHD) Diyarbakır Branch, Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV-HRFT) Diyarbakır Representative, Education and Science Laborers' Union (Eğitim-Sen) Diyarbakır Branch, Health and Social Service Laborers' Union (SES) Diyarbakır Branch, Southeastern Journalists Association.

In 2020, the Diyarbakır Medical Chamber granted the award to Peace mothers and actor Kadir İnanır while the award was granted to Human Rights Association (İHD) Co-Chair Eren Keskin in 2021. (RT/SD)