First some good news : Our Europe team has four country coordinators again : Lucja Jastrzebska has joined us and she will be taking over the work on Central Europe, while Ulrike will focus on the Balkans and the eastern Mediterranean. Welcome Lucja! She will cover the Baltic republics, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary. Ulrike will focus on Romania, Bulgaria, Former Yugoslavia , Greece and the El Hiblu 3 case.
Türkiye
Saturday Mothers
Emblematic case in Protect the Protest Global Campaign.
Global day of action planned for 25 May
As you will be aware, because of the increasing pressure on freedom of expression and freedom of assembly there, Türkiye is one of the 10 focus countries in Amnesty’s global Protect the Protest campaign. In respect of Türkiye the two particular areas for campaigning on this issue have been identified as supporting local Prides (the main focus in 2023) and the Saturday Mothers vigils.
Time and again, the Saturday Mothers have been met with brutal crackdowns and even prosecutions for taking part in peaceful vigils. What is most strange about this is that they are not actually protesting about anything the current regime has done but about historic injustices. The Turkish authorities have never provided a valid justification for their unlawful denial of the right to exercise freedom of expression and assembly.
For several years we have been campaigning on their behalf because of the prosecution of 46 of those indicted in 2021 following their brutal arrests 2018. They are still facing the charges of ‘refusing to disperse despite warnings.’ The prosecution continues and what is supposed to be the “final” hearing in the case is due to take place in Istanbul on 5 April.
In November 2023, and after several advocacy meetings with the Governor of Istanbul, the group secured a partial victory, that ten representatives would be allowed to meet in front of the barriers on the square for a brief statement. The blockade on the square was not lifted but the detentions ended. This is the current situation. Saturday Mothers/People continue to demand that the blockade on Galatasaray Sq is lifted and we continue to support their call.
However, now, 20 people who were detained as result of attempting to hold a vigil on 10 June 2023 are facing a new prosecution under the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations and the first hearing in the case took place on 27 February. As is all too often the case in these situations, this was inconclusive and we now await the date for further hearing.
Global Day of Action
The 1000th vigil of the Saturday Mothers will take place on 25 May, and Amnesty is hoping to stage a global day of action on or around that day to publicise this case. Ideas are being worked up in AI sections around the world and I would welcome any ideas you have for how we might draw attention to the Saturday Mothers in the UK.