At the 757th week of protest against enforced disappearances in state forces’ custody, the initiative of the Saturday Mothers in Istanbul focused on the fate of Hüseyin Morsümbül today. The high school student disappeared on September 18, 1980 after his arrest by state forces.
In addition to the Saturday Mothers, HDP deputies Ömer Öcalan, Oya Ersoy and Ahmet Şık, IHD chairperson Eren Keskin and numerous activists took part in the rally in front of the Istanbul headquarters of the Human Rights Association IHD.
Besna Tosun, whose father Fehmi Tosun belongs to the “disappeared,” stated at the rally that one of the most important foundations of a functioning society is the sense of justice. “If this feeling is shaken, democracy will also be shaken. The rule of law and justice are inseparable. If there is no justice in the legislature, the executive and the judiciary, there can be no talk of a rule of law.”
Besna Tosun referred to the inscription” Justice is the foundation of the state” in Turkish courts and said:” If this is the case, then the foundation of the State in Turkey rotted.”
The story of Hüseyin Morsümbül
High school student Hüseyin Morsümbül was arrested 39 years ago on September 18, 1980, in Bingöl after the military coup of September 12th. Turkish soldiers and policemen who stormed his family’s home and arrested Morsümbül told the family “he will just give a statement and return”.
When Hüseyin did not return, his family inquired at Bingöl Military Brigade Command and their answer was “he is not with us”. As the family persisted in their search for their son, they were told that Hüseyin had fled the well-guarded brigade. Hüseyin’s father Hanefi Morsümbül was severely tortured. The parents filed a complaint with the prosecutor, but there was no progress in the case.
The investigation into the case was resumed after the IHD had filed a complaint in 2011. As part of this investigation, a commander of the Gendarmerie said that Hüseyin Morsümbül had been beaten to death by sergeants and his body had been taken away by the regiment commander and other military personnel.
While the prosecution closed the case for lack of evidence in 2015, opposition proceedings against the decision are still pending.
