We always express. Unless the fate of disappeared people will be found out and perpetrators will be tried, it is not possible to achieve social peace in our country.
We always express. The cases of the countries where disappearances are seem, show that individuals are disappeared either by states or organized forces supported by the states.
In this sense the United Nations has adopted and signed “Internatıonal Conventıon For The Protectıon Of All Persons From Enforced Dısappearance” on 20 December 2006.
The Convention prohibits enforced disappearance absolutely. Enforced disappearances are considered as one of the crimes against humanity. In accordance with the Convention State Party are responsible to take the necessary measures that are suitable to the Convention. By March 2009, 81 countries have signed the Convention. Turkey has not signed it yet.
Disappeared people, who were killed by the state forces forcibly, whose mothers, fathers, spouses, brothers/sisters and children have not seen them and heard their voice, however; still wait since they were disappeared. Although relatives of the disappeared people have hopes that these people will be found, they know that they are disappeared.
Disappeared people….They have not come back. No one knows that where they are. People who were disappeared with their wishes and hearts….
This fact should be faced. As a necessity of being Democratic Legal State legal sanctions against those who are responsible must be implemented…
The Human Rights Association or IHD has been commemorating the period from 17th May to 31st May as the “Week of Disappearances” since 1995. The aim of this action is to make disappeared people a current issue every year, to ask investigation about disappeared people and demand finding responsible persons and tried them before the court.
The period 2008 and 2009 are the years on which many evidences about disappeared people have been found out. Excavated wells and grounds, bones took us to a closer point to the disappeared people. The IHD has started sit down strike in the cities where we have branches since 7 February 2009. The sit down strike take place every Saturday. The relatives of disappeared people have re-started their sit down strike in front of the Galatasaray High School in Istanbul. This sit down strike takes place every Saturday, too. We will continue our actions until the Government will show a clear will about disappeared people and start to investigate their fate. In this regard we demand for implementing quicker and more effective process of investigations, which families shall participate and contribute, about disappeared people, finding out responsible persons and trial of them. For us such processes are the first and the most important step to face up to the past and achieve justice in the country.
We demand that files, which are being tried to be forgotten, must be updated.
Prescription cannot be applied to the crimes against humanity. Therefore effective legal procedures must be applied to responsible persons, without considering date of the crime.
Turkey should sign and ratify “Internatıonal Conventıon For The Protectıon Of All Persons From Enforced Dısappearance”.
HUMAN RIGHTS ASSOCIATION