Saturday Mothers/People File Criminal Complaint Against Minister Soylu, Governor Şahin

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Saturday Mothers/People and Human Rights Association (İHD) have filed a criminal complaint to İstanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan against law enforcers and İstanbul Governor Vasip Şahin, Beyoğlu sub-Governor Savaş Ünlü and Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu on the ground that they were ill-treated in their 700th rally at Galatasaray Square and that their freedom of demonstration and rally was violated.

As the complaint was submitted in three separate ways to İstanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, İHD and Saturday Mothers/People made a statement for the press in front of the courthouse.

The three separate criminal complaints

Three separate criminal complaints were submitted to the chief prosecutor’s office:

Criminal complaint against Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu

Criminal complaint by the İHD against those who gave the decision of ban against the 700th rally on August 25 and performed it

Individual criminal complaints of those whose rights were restricted and who were subjected to violence in the 700th week.

Families told Erdoğan of what happened

“The families told their stories one by one. The meeting planned to last 45 minutes lasted for four and a half hours. Whole delegation listened to families’ stories by being impressed. This delegation then remarked, ‘these mothers are like our mothers and the human rights advocates are doing this in great sincerity’.

“Now we want to ask, especially to [President Recep Tayyip] Erdoğan. How come those mothers and sincere human rights advocated have become terrorists all of a sudden. They have to explain this to us”.

Ban and attack since 700th week

Police intervened in 700th rally of Saturday Mothers/People and detained 47 people by battering them last week.

Making a statement on August 30, Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Ömer Çelik spoke as follows concerning the ban and attack against the demonstration of Saturday Mothers/People:

"We will not allow terrorism propaganda to be carried out by abusing mothers' sufferings and some sort of activities to be engaged in anymore. That area will not be used for such purpose from now on".

In 701st week, upon police closing Galatasaray Square with barricades, they held their demonstration at İHD İstanbul Branch’s street.

In 702nd week, police obstruction continued. The statement was delivered through speakers on CHP Beyoğlu District Presidency at Galatasaray Square. (HA/TK)