Dilek İmamoğlu: The demand for justice in Silivri is growing

The Family Solidarity Network (ADA) brought together the families of those victimized in the March 19 operation for the 37th time in the parking area near the Silivri Courthouse. The meeting was attended by CHP İstanbul Deputy Suat Özçağdaş, German Consul General in Istanbul Dr. Regine Grienberger and her team, many CHP deputies, journalists, artists, and numerous citizens.

Dilek Kaya İmamoğlu, who has become one of the prominent figures in public opinion following the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu in Silivri for over a year, brought the grievances experienced by the families to the agenda in her speech at the meeting. Expressing her feelings, İmamoğlu said, "No matter which grievance we describe, another one remains incomplete. Because there is a tragedy here that affects the lives of hundreds of people."

Touching upon the fact that the difficulties faced by the families and relatives of those who have been detained for over a year are becoming increasingly severe, İmamoğlu noted the following regarding the separation felt especially on special occasions and the expectation of a fair trial:

"I sincerely thank you for being here at our Family Solidarity Network meeting and for supporting our search for rights, law, and justice. Your presence is truly very meaningful for our loved ones who are experiencing great grievances and for us families. I am glad you are here. Last Sunday was Father's Day. Many fathers spent this day away from their children, and many children spent it with a longing for their fathers.

The sadness and pain of separation we feel on special days are much more intense. The burden of injustice and lawlessness becomes much heavier. For over a year, we have been living our special days, when we should be the happiest, with a part of us missing. I celebrate the past Father's Day of all the imprisoned fathers who have been kept away from their children, the resilient fathers who watch the path of their innocent children, and all the children who feel the longing for their fathers most deeply.

Tomorrow is report card day. Again, many mothers and fathers will not be able to be with their children. Again, the eyes of the children receiving their report cards will look for their parents. We are here with the weight of the little hearts who cannot share the joy of their report cards with their parents. We are in a struggle against a mentality that even leaves children's report card joy incomplete. Everyone needs to think about a child spending their happiest days in sadness and longing, and a mother or father not being able to be with their children during their most special moments.

We are talking here about how the lives of families are shattered by a politicized legal order. If politics is making families, who are the cornerstone of society, experience these things; then big mistakes are being made somewhere. Because; on the contrary, politics is done to add goodness and beauty to people's lives. The most basic motivation of politics should be to ensure justice and put an end to injustices. As you know, families have been carrying a very heavy burden for about 15 months.

There are families waiting for every visitation day, pinning their hopes on every phone ring. There are elderly and sick parents. There are families whose salaries have been cut, who have children in need of care, who are struggling to make a living, and who are trying to rebuild their lives.

There are people who travel kilometers to support their loved ones. No matter which grievance we describe, another one remains incomplete. Because there is a tragedy here that spreads into the lives of hundreds of people.

The decision taken this week to lift the injunction on retirement pensions is a pleasing development. In addition to this, we also expect the ongoing grievances to be ended quickly. There are people who are still being held in prison without their indictments written, without knowing what crime they are being tried for; Şile Municipality has been waiting for an indictment for 11 months, Bayrampaşa Municipality for 9 months, and Ataşehir Municipality for about 2 months.

The indictment, which was awaited for a year for Gaziosmanpaşa Municipality, was prepared as only 23 pages. On the other hand, operations continue, creating new grievances.

Finally, it is unclear when the indictments will be prepared for the individuals in the Silivri and Adalar municipalities where operations were conducted. We waited for the indictment for months in the IMM Case. After the indictment, we waited for the trial to begin. The first hearing will be over soon. Why are these people, who have had no suspicion of evidence tampering or flight risk for 1.5 years, still in detention?

Trial without detention is essential; detention should be the exception. The release of all detainees is a requirement of legal principles. We demand the release of all detainees. Wherever we touch the indictment, it falls apart in our hands. We understand from the statements that there are those who are accused of jobs that are not in their area of responsibility. They are not doing the job they are accused of, but they are in detention.

There are those who have been in prison for over a year because of informants they have never met, seen, or spoken to. The informant said the name wrong, could not match the name with the photo, and even got the gender wrong, but despite this, the statement is accepted as true and people have been tried in detention for 1.5 years. While these statements echo within the walls of Silivri, I am addressing the politicians who pass judgment without reading the indictment, without being in court for even a day or an hour.

Which country, for which values are you fighting? The indictment is collapsing day by day. Despite this, how can you accuse people so comfortably? How do you allow your conscience to make evaluations without seeing what is happening, without listening to what the families are going through? Know that even if you can fit it into your conscience, the conscience of society does not accept these things. And this society has not embraced, and will not embrace, any politician who does not carry its own conscientious values. Have no doubt about this.

For this reason, I invite all politicians here to take the responsibility that falls upon them on behalf of the country. Society is following these hearings closely. You, who have entered politics and claim to shape society, come and follow the hearings as well. Make your evaluations not in advance but in the light of what is happening, based on facts, not rumors. I still cannot believe what has been happening for 1.5 years. It is as if we are in a nightmare. This country has never experienced a period where the search for rights, law, and justice has become this difficult, and people have been left this defenseless.

Even in the face of the greatest injustices, we had a branch to hold onto. That branch was justice, it was the law. We used to say that the judiciary protects my rights, my freedom, my property, and my assets. Today, that branch is broken, and this broken branch has turned into a stick. This issue is no longer just the issue of our families or our relatives. This issue is not just the issue of Ekrem İmamoğlu and his companions.

It is an issue of the sense of justice, legal security, and social conscience. Everyone now sees and knows what is happening today. The responsibility for the pain experienced here, the lost time, the worn-out lives, and the ignored reputations cannot be ignored. The danger facing the Republic of Turkey cannot be ignored. All politicians and everyone who carries responsibility on behalf of the country must take action against these events. We have been defending the rights, law, and justice of our loved ones for 15 months. 15 long months.

It is easy to say, but how many birthdays, how many holidays passed missing within those 15 months, how many children's tears did not stop on the days they remained away from their mothers and fathers. We are the ones who know and live these. Despite all this, our shoulders did not drop, we did not collapse; but enough is enough! Our demands are clear: Let these grievances be ended with a trial without detention and a fair trial. No postponement, no excuses, no justifications. We don't even have an hour to lose for justice. We are here, and we will continue to be here. Until those days come, we will continue to demand justice for everyone, to say law for everyone."