ISTANBUL - On the 683rd week, the Saturday Mothers commemorated the poet Taniel Varoujan in the person of those who lost their lives in Armenian Genocide and they said, “We don’t forget Taniel Varoujan.”

 

Saturday Mothers gathered in front of Galatasaray High School in Istanbul for 683rd time to ask the fate of their loved ones forcibly disappeared and to demand the perpetrators to be tried. This week, Saturday Mothers commemorated those who lost their lives on April 24, 1915, Armenian Genocide. The Saturday Mothers commemorated poet Taniel Varoujan and journalist and writer Pakrat Estukyan supported them this week.

 

Ali Ocak, brother of Hasan Ocak who was forcibly disappeared in custody, made a speech during the protest. “If those who were responsibility for the Armenian Genocide had been judged, no one would be killed in this region,” Ali said “We demand the state to face genocides.” After Ali’s speech, Pakrat Estukyan began to speak and said, “We have come together for 103rd year of a great crime that has been very obvious but never been faced for a hundred year. Today we take the poet Taniel Varoujan, who lost his life in Armenian Genocide, in our focal point. Taniel was born in a village of Sivas. After his education, he lived abroad for a while. He returned to Istanbul on April 24 to publish his poem. He was taken into custody and no news has been received from him since then.” Pakrat then read Taniel’s poem called “Peace”.

 

Sebla Arcan read this week’s statement of the Saturday Mothers. Stating that they came together to say “We don’t forget Taniel Varoujan,” Sebla said “He was taken into custody on August 26, 1915 by claiming her would be sent to other prison along with his other Armenian friends. Taniel and his four friends were brutally killed. We don’t forget you and we call on the state to face its disappeared people.”

 

After the speeches, the Saturday Mothers left the square to meet next week.