We will not forget the 10 October Massacre!

On 10 October 2015, labour and professional organisations struggling in our region came together in front of Ankara Railway Station and wanted to hold a rally demanding ‘Labour, Democracy and Peace’. Sadly, 104 people lost their lives in a planned attack that is known to have been organised by ISIS. More than 500 people were injured, 391 of them were seriously injured.

Nine years have passed since then. Despite all these nine years that have passed, no effective judicial process has been carried out to find the perpetrators of this massacre and to satisfy the conscience of the society, especially the relatives of those who lost their lives and those who were injured. The judicial system protected the criminals of humanity who perpetrated this brutal attack. The panel of judges was changed several times. None of the people who were seen in the footage that was included in the court file as evidence was searched or arrested. By protecting the perpetrators, the massacre was not shed light on, justice was not ensured, the state forces and political connections behind the massacre were not revealed. Although the indictment was issued as a crime against humanity, the defendants were not sentenced for this offence.

In a state structure where security policy and intelligence are so strong, it is impossible that the massacre which took place on 10 October in front of Ankara Railway Station could not have been known in advance. Unfortunately, the necessary investigations and enquiries were not carried out from the very beginning. The judicial process almost became protective of the murderers. While the murderers who committed the Train Station Massacre continue to walk around freely, every statement made by those who lost their relatives in the 10 October Massacre has been met with police violence.

As every year, once again on the anniversary of the 10 October massacre, we would like to address the authorities: Do not try to suppress and silence the demands for the rights of the relatives of those who lost their lives in the massacre. In order for Turkey to democratise, to achieve the peace it needs and to eliminate the culture of impunity that pervades every aspect of life, the real perpetrators of the 10 October massacre must be identified, and they must be punished after an effective and efficient prosecution in order to prevent such massacres from happening again.

On the ninth anniversary of the 10 October massacre, we once again demand that the murderers who committed the 10 October massacre and all those who are involved or negligent in this matter be revealed and put on trial.

Human Rights Association