Lawyer, human rights defender Tahir Elçi commemorated on 7th anniversary of murder

Photo: MA

Click to read the article in Turkish (1) (2)

Tahir Elçi was commemorated in Diyarbakır today on the 7th anniversary of his assassination (November 28) in the morning. Those who gathered in front of the Diyarbakır Courthouse marched to the Four-Legged Minaret where he was killed holding a banner which read "We will not forget you" in Turkish and Kurdish.

Türkan Elçi, Tahir Elçi's wife, members of Tahir Elçi Human Rights Foundation, Nahit Eren, the president and the executive committee members of Diyarbakır bar, TTB (Union of Bars of Türkiye), People's Democratic Party (HDP) group spokesperson Meral Danış Beştaş, HDP Diyarbakır MP İmam Taşçıer, HDP Diyarbakır Co-Chair Gülistan Atasoy participated in the commemoration.

"Let wars be away from us"

Record of Ahmet Kaya singing the "Diyarbakır folk song" was played in front of the Four-Legged Minaret.

Tahir Elçi's own words were read out, that he said on the day he was shot: "In this historical spot, in this ancient region that hosted many civilizations, we do not want any weapons, conflicts or operations at this common heritage of humanity. Let wars, conflicts, weapons and operations be away from this area, we say."

Türkan Elçi read out a letter that she has newly written for her husband. 

Tahir Elçi was also commemorated in front of the Bakırköy courthouse in İstanbul.

Free Lawyers Association (ÖHD) co-chair Esra Bilen spoke on behalf of all participating organizations. She said that there is not the slightest progress in the investigation file about Elçi's assassination and that the offenders were not revealed.

Bilen said that they were taking Elçi's life and his struggle as a reference and that they would never give up the struggle. We will never forget Tahir Elçi as an honorable lawyer of an oppressed people holding his head high."

Commemorating Tahir Elçi in front of the courthouse in Mersin, in the south of Türkiye, ÖHD Mersin branch co-chair İbrahim Kaya said that there was no real trial.

"They want his murder to remain unsolved"

In İzmir also Tahir Elçi was commemorated by a large group in front of the courthouse. ÖHD İzmir branch co-chair Şükran Öztürk read out the common statement of all participating institutions.

Emphasizing that the assassinators were still getting away due to the unwillingness of the state about solving the murder, Öztürk said, "Tahir Elçi fought injustices bravely in the dark atmosphere of the 90's, He struggled hard for a just trial in cases of massacre where police or soldiers were standing trial, not letting go many unidentified murders to remain unsolved and he was able to condemn the state authorities in many cases. Now they want his murder to remain unsolved just like the cases he worked on for many years."

Murder of Tahir Elçi

Tahir Elçi attended a live TV program on CNN Türk hosted by Ahmet Hakan on October 15, 2015. He had said, "The PKK [Kurdistan Workers Party] is not a terrorist organization." While the channel was fined 700,000 lira over these words, Elçi was detained in his office in Diyarbakır Bar Association and taken to İstanbul on November 20, 2015.

While the prosecutor's office referred Elçi to court with a request for his arrest, the Bakırköy 2nd Heavy Penal Court released him on probation. A bill of indictment was brought against Elçi on charge of "propagandizing for a terrorist organization." Elçi faced up to 7.5 years in prison.

Elçi was murdered while making a statement for the press in front of the Four-Legged Minaret in Sur, Diyarbakır on November 28, 2015. (AS/PE/VK)