MÊRDÎN - Women marched to visit the condolence of Cihan Bilgin, one of the journalists killed in UCAV attack. The women did not listen to the police's attempts to prevent them and expressed their condolences to the family.

 

Condolence centres for journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were killed by an Armed Combat Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) while they were following the attacks of Turkey and SNA on North and East Syria, continue to be visited en masse.

 

Women coming together under the leadership of the Free Women's Movement (Tevgera Jinên Azad-TJA) visited the condolence centre for journalist Cihan Bilgin in Mîdyad district of Mêrdîn (Mardin) with a mass march. Women gathered in Cumhuriyet Neighbourhood and marched towards Hacı İsa Arslan Condolence House. Carrying the photographs of Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, the women started a sit-in protest against the police's attempts to prevent them, chanting "Nazım, Cihan rumeta meye (Nazım and Cihan are our honour)", "Şehîd namirin (Martyrs won't die)", "Free Press cannot be silenced" and "Çapemenîya azad rumeta meye (Free Press is our honour)". Upon the determination of the women, the barricades were removed and the women continued their march arm in arm. Meanwhile, a police officer made sexist remarks towards JINNEWS reporter Öznur Değer.

 

The women were welcomed by Bilgin's family and relatives in front of the condolence house with the slogan "Şehîd namirin".

 

'THE STRUGGLE FOR TRUTH WILL CONTINUE'

 

Speaking after the condolences, Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) MP Saliha Aydeniz said: "They were the followers of Nagihans and Apê Musa. We will continue to be their followers." Saliha Aydeniz said that Turkey is attacking the Kurdish people everywhere and emphasised that insisting on isolation policies leads to war and added: "The struggle for truth will always continue".  

 

Saliha Aydeniz called on those who want a solution to lift the isolation on PKK Leader Abdullah Öcalan.

 

Afterwards, journalist Öznur Değer, speaking on behalf of the Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG), reminded the journalists who were murdered on the streets in the 90s and said: "Nazım and Cihan's struggle will strengthen our struggle. Long live a free press."

 

TJA Spokesperson Gülistan Sarılı also stated the following: "We want peace and a democratic country. Peace is the most important way to stop deaths. For this reason, we are struggling for peace and democracy and we want the isolation to be lifted."