Resilient Saturday Mothers defy 30-week police blockade, rally for justice

Police In Istanbul after 30 weeks of disruption allowed a small demonstration by the Saturday Mothers, a collective of women and their allies who have been meeting at Galatasaray Square since 1995 to call for justice and accountability concerning their children, who were subjected to enforced disappearances during the 1980s and 1990s in Turkey.

In a powerful display of resilience and determination, the group, accompanied by human rights advocates, gathered for their 972nd week of continuous protests, overcoming a 30-week blockade imposed by the authorities.

Led by Ikbal Eren, who lost her son to enforced disappearance, the group addressed the crowd in an area they referred to as their "Memory Space." Eren sought answers about the fate of the missing and called for the prosecution of those responsible.

Until this week, the demonstrators have consistently met week after week, driven by the desire to uncover the truth and secure justice for their loved ones who vanished while under police custody. Nevertheless, their persistent efforts to convene and host a press conference in Galatasaray Square were always obstructed by the police.

Following the press statement, the mothers and activists left carnations at the site and retraced their path back to the Human Rights Association, marking the end of their demonstration.