ISTANBUL - In the 1026th week of their protests, Saturday Mothers asked the fate of Hayrettin Eren, who disappeared in detention 44 years ago. 

 

Saturday Mothers/People organised their 1026th demonstration at Galatasaray Square to ask the fate of their relatives who were disappeared and murdered under custody and to demant the prosecution of the perpetrators. Saturday Mothers came together with carnations and photographs of their disappeared relatives and asked for the fate of Hayrettin Eren. Eren was detained on 21 November 1980 in Saraçhane Haşim İşcan Passage and was never heard from again. Hayrettin Eren's niece Setenay Yarıcı read the press statement. 

 

SAID 'NOT IN CUSTODY' DESPITE WITNESSES

 

Setenay Yarıcı stated that Eren took part in the youth movement in the 1970s and he was issued an arrest warrant after the 12 September coup d'etat. Setenay Yarıcı said: "Eren was detained with his friend on 21 November 1980 in Saraçhane Haşim İşcan Passage. He was first taken to Karagümrük Police Station and then to Gayrettepe Security Directorate Policitical Branch together with 8 other people detained in the same operation. His family went to Karagümrük Police Station adn were told that Hayrettin had been sont to the Policitical Branch in Gayrettepe. Upon this, his mother Elmas Eren went to Gayrettepe and saw the car with the licence plate 34 F 6798, which belonged to his father and which Hayrettin had used while being detained, in the garden of the Political Branch. Elmas Eren asked about her son and was told 'There is no such person in custody'. However, according to witness statements, Hayrettin Eren was in a cell on the lower floor of the Political Branch at the time. He was being severely tortured because he refused to give a statement to the torture team headed by Fikret Işınkaralar. When 8 people who were arrested in the same operation with him were brought to court, they filed a criminal complaint saying 'Hayrettin Eren was also detained with us'. 'I am a witness to Hayrettin Eren's detention. I saw him both at the police station and at the political branch', they testified to the prosecutor."

 

NO RESULT DESPITE EFFORTS

 

Setenya Yarıcı stated that Eren's family applied to all official authorities, especially the National Security Council, but no results were obtained, "The answer 'Hayrettin Eren was not detained, he is still wanted' has never changed. The Eren Family, who used all legal means, did not get any results; what happened to Hayrettin and his car, which was the evidence of his detention, has been left in the dark for 44 years. Elmas and Kemalettin Eren left their children and grandchildren with a legacy of searching for a grave to adorn with flowers. We are repeating where they left off: Istanbul Police Chief Şükrü Balcı, Political Branch Director Tayyar Sever, Deputy Political Branch Director Mehmet Ağar, the chief of the team that tortured Hayrettin, Fikret Işınkaralar are the perpetrators and responsible for the crime of Hayrettin Eren's disappearance. The rulers of the state continue the 12 September mentality by concealing the fate of Hayrettin Eren for 44 years and leaving those who disappeared him unpunished," she dair. 

 

REQUEST FOR AN EFFECTIVE INVESTIGATION

 

Setenay Yarıcı addressed the ruling and judicial authorities and said: "Fulfil your obligation to conduct an effective investigation and prosecution in Hayrettin Eren's case. No matter how many years pass; we will not stop demanding justice for Hayrettin Eren, for all our missing persons, and reminding that the state has to act within universal legal norms."

 

'I WILL NOT TRUST THIS LAW'

 

After the statement, Hayrettin Eren's sister İkbal Eren said following: "Which law can we trust? Mehmet Ağar was the deputy branch manager when Hayrettin Eren was disappeared and he said, 'If I move the brick, everyone will be buried under it.' Pull the brick and let whoever will be buried under it stay under it. I will not trust this law. The law has never worked for Hayrettin Eren and our other disappeared people. Which law and which justice will we trust? We will continue to fight for Hayrettin Eren and our missing persons. We continue where our mothers left off."