The 1980s were dark days in Turkey. Coups, political repression, torture, detentions and enforced disappearances left a deep wound in the memory of society. During this dark period, there were sons, wives, brothers and sisters who disappeared overnight... Their names were not in the official records, but the mothers and relatives waiting for them sat in Galatasaray Square every Saturday to make their cries heard, despite the state's silence and injustice. Even with their silence, they waged a struggle that shook the conscience of the state and society.
Mother Berfo is a living symbol of this resistance. Her son Mehmet Gökçek was detained in 1982 and never returned. The state could not even give Mother Berfo the bones of her son. But Mother Berfo is not alone: Mother Fadime, Mother Semra and other relatives of the disappeared, who are symbols of this resistance, remind the whole society of the name and pain of the disappeared. While experiencing the loss of their children, they also faced the cold silence of the state. But instead of drowning their pain in their own sadness, they became the voice of all relatives of the disappeared, challenging society with every step, saying ’I am here, I want justice!“. Every tear is the unforgettable cry of a people. Every photograph, every silent sit-in is a revolt: ”We exist and we will not forget.“
The Saturday Mothers represent not only individual pain but also political conscience. They demand the prosecution of the perpetrators of enforced disappearances and want the state to face the past. However, there is no place for the Saturday Mothers on the political agenda, which is stuck between a separatist and a corruption defendant.
Promises made at all levels of the state have not been kept; the disappeared have still not been found. Unfortunately, those who say they will come to terms with the coups, especially September 12, have still not found the disappeared, their darkest legacy. This silent resistance reminds us of those who want to be forgotten, but the state's priorities have been to suppress their voices.
The protests have been organized for almost 30 years, since 1995. The first gatherings started with 15-20 people, and grew to thousands over time. Today, they are still in the square with photographs of the relatives of the disappeared, but due to security and legislative obstacles, the number of participants is limited to about 10 people.
The legal processes were also long and arduous. Especially during the ’700th Week“ gathering on August 25, 2018, 46 people were detained and charged with ”participating in unlawful gatherings and marches“ and ”failure to disperse despite warning“. After a seven-year trial, all defendants were acquitted on March 14, 2025. However, Galatasaray Square is still surrounded by police barriers and freedom of assembly is effectively restricted.
These silent mothers reveal the truth that the state wants to make us forget, and illuminate the darkness of the past that has not been dealt with. There are approximately 1,350 people on record who were forcibly disappeared by the state in the 1980s and 1990s. Long trials, repeated changes of judges and arbitrary bans make the struggle against oppression and intimidation even more difficult.
The Saturday Mothers take a courageous stand against the state while leaving a legacy of justice and memory for future generations. This struggle, which extends from Mother Berfo and other symbolic mothers to today, is a resistance engraved on the pages of history; it is a proof that can never be erased in front of conscience of the pain that the state and society try to forget. And we are obliged to hear their silent cry.
And let us not forget all mothers, whether they are called Saturday Mothers, Diyarbakır Mothers or Martyrs' Mothers. Their pain, silent resistance and patience is a mirror to the conscience of the whole society. Motherhood is not ideological, it is the purest form of humanity and conscience.
The proposed solution is also clear: The disappeared must be found, the state must reconcile with the victims of coups and oppression, reparations must be provided and justice must be fully served. These steps will not only heal the pain of the past, but will also be a breath of fresh air for the conscience of society.
Today marks the 1051st week of the Saturday Mothers“ demonstration at Galatasaray Square. They are there every Saturday: ”We are here, we have not forgotten, we will not let them forget."