The 4th Strasbourg Justice Meeting, held in front of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on June 25, raised a powerful voice against systematic rights violations in Turkey. Members of parliament, legal experts, and human rights defenders from various European countries called for international solidarity against the unlawful practices in Turkey.
“We See You and Hear You”
European Parliament Member Kathleen Van Brevent, addressing those fighting for democracy and law in Turkey, received thunderous applause when she said, “We see you, we hear you. You are not alone.” Van Brevent, who also serves as Vice President of European Social Democrats, called on the ECHR to take more decisive steps.
Spanish Parliamentarian Laura Castel created an emotional moment in her speech by recalling the tragedy of young Sümeyye, who cared for her sibling in their mother’s absence in prison and later passed away, stating “Delayed justice is no justice at all.”
French MP Emanuel Fernandez said in his speech, “The struggle for rights in Turkey is not alone. We are here with you and will continue to be.”
Judicial Crisis in Turkey: Lawyers under Target
Stuart Russel, Co-Chair of the International Committee to Monitor Attacks on Lawyers, emphasized that judicial independence in Turkey is under threat, stating, “This is no longer just a violation, it has become an outright crisis. The Turkish government must immediately end systematic pressure on lawyers.”
Paris Bar lawyer Anais Lefort and Dutch journalist Ewout Klei, who followed the event, stated that the policies applied to state of emergency decree victims in Turkey need to be monitored more closely by European public opinion.
Witnesses Spoke: “Justice is not just a Concept, It’s our Right to Live”
Among those gathered in front of the ECHR were direct victims of rights violations. Judge Sevda Güven, dismissed by decree, speaking as the wife of former Police Chief Zeki Güven who died in prison, said, “I am here to be the voice of those whose voices have been silenced.”
Demet Oğuz, whose journalist husband Mehmet Kamil Oğuz developed cancer after facing pressure in prison, called out, “We demand justice, let these sufferings end.”
Bekir Berk Görmez, describing his time in prison, his wife Fatma Görmez’s health problems, and attending his son’s funeral in handcuffs, said, “Justice is not just an ideal; it is the guarantee of our right to live.”
Zeynep Şakrak said she was arrested while pregnant and spent four months in prison. “Years have passed but the pressure hasn’t ended. We won’t be silent in our pursuit of justice,” she said.
Müleyke, a theology student who came to Strasbourg for detained students in İzmir, recalled her strip-search trauma from five years ago, saying, “I was silent then. But I’m not silent anymore. Today I’m here for them.”
“Children Shouldn’t Grow up in Prison!”
Children in prisons were also addressed at the event. The stories of hundreds of children, like Bahar who entered prison with her mother at three months old, echoed with participants’ chants of “Children shouldn’t grow up in prison!”
Ahmet Burhan Ataç’s father was also at the event. The father, who lost his son known as “Kara Efe,” said, “That day you were with me. Today I’m at the ECHR for thousands of children, for rights, for justice.”
Wall of Justice: Written Rebellion of the Silenced
The “Wall of Justice” set up at the event venue became one of the most emotionally charged points. Hundreds of participants wrote their pain, resistance, and hopes on this symbolic wall. Each sentence was a window opening to another story.
Participants said, “If walls could speak, they would shout out the persistence, hope, and struggle behind what’s written here,” giving symbolic representation to suppressed voices on this wall.
