WATCH: Families of the youth imprisoned due to the protesting Erdogan for close ‘israeli’ ties: “Is this justice?”
Families of young people detained and arrested during the TRT World Forum called for justice: “I thought we were on the side of Palestine?”
Following the arrest of the activists who said, “The ships are carrying bombs to Gaza” during President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s opening speech at the TRT World Forum 2024 on Friday, people gathered in front of the Istanbul Courthouse and called for the immediate release of the young people. Handan Turan, the mother of Şeyma Yıldırım, who was arrested, asked, “Is this justice? We weren’t on the side of Palestine?”
While President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan was speaking at the TRT World Forum event, 9 people who protested trade with Israel by saying, “The ships are carrying bombs to Gaza” were arrested. It was learned that the arrest warrant was issued for opposing Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations, and a judicial control decision was issued for the charge of “insulting the President”. Following the decision, the Thousand Youth Platform for Palestine, the Resistance Tent Platform, lawyer Fatih Erbican and Handan Turan, the mother of Şeyma Yıldırım who was arrested, reacted to the decision by making a statement in front of the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan.
“WE ARE THOUSANDS HERE! IF NECESSARY, WE WILL BE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS AND COME BACK AGAINST YOU”
Noting that 5 relatives of those arrested were also detained because they reacted to the decision, Dilan Tekin from the Palestine for a Thousand Youth Platform said, “We are calling out from here. We have been saying for months, we will not allow any shipments to go from here. We will not remain silent by taking 9 people and taking 5 people who have relatives. We will continue to bring the voice of resistance to these lands. We do not speak with the mouthpiece of Zionism. You are doing your best to collaborate with the Zionists at the tables you sit at. You cannot cover this up by saying that we are friends of Palestine. You cannot cover it up by making the friends of Palestine pay a price. We are neither 9 people here, nor 5 people with their relatives there. We are thousands here. If necessary, we will be hundreds of thousands and come before you.”
“THERE IS NO JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY!”
Handan Turan, the mother of arrested Şeyma Yıldırım, also stated that she no longer has faith in justice, and noted the following:
“I came here to get my daughter. But unfortunately I heard that there was an arrest warrant and I was very upset. My idea of justice for my country has really disappeared. In other words, these children did nothing. They only defended humanity, they defended justice. It was beyond their conscience that people came to this situation. So is this justice? We were on the side of Palestine? We were Palestine. What happened? Why does the slightest step taken for Palestine immediately result in imprisonment? Is this what it means to be on the side of Palestine? In other words, I never believe in this justice.
