Exhibition of Silent Screams

Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu, a respected HDP Member of Parliament, has long been recognized as one of Turkey›s most courageous human rights defenders, tirelessly fighting for the rights of all, regardless of their beliefs. His commitment to justice and freedom came at a personal cost: his parliamentary seat was unjustly revoked, and he was sentenced to imprisonment simply for retweeting a news article on Twitter. Undeterred, Gergerlioğlu transformed this injustice into a peaceful protest by initiating a ‹Justice Vigil› within the Turkish Grand National Assembly, a testament to his unwavering determination. This vigil, a silent yet powerful form of resistance, continued until its fifth day. In a moment that epitomized the absurdity of his situation, nearly a hundred police officers converged to arrest him at 06:30 a.m. as he left the restroom. Clad in his pajamas and slippers, Gergerlioğlu’s request for a moment to pray and change was coldly denied. In a scene that was both surreal and poignant, he was detained right there, in his slippers, and forcefully escorted out of the assembly building.

In our exhibition, we display the very shoes that were denied to Ömer Faruk Gergerlioğlu at the time of his arrest. These shoes are more than just footwear; they symbolize the dignity and resolve of a man who stood up for justice, even as his basic rights were being stripped away. They remind us of the often-overlooked personal sacrifices made in the pursuit of human rights and democracy, and they stand as a touching reminder of the resilience and courage that define Gergerlioğlu’s life and work

Yusuf Kerim Sayın was just six years old, bravely fighting Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer, with only a 20% chance of beating it. Amidst this battle for life, his mother, Gülten Sayın, was entangled in a legal nightmare, sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison for activities as ordinary as banking and working in a dormitory. Her imprisonment in December shattered their family, compelling her husband Süleyman to quit his job to care for Yusuf. In his hospital bed, young Yusuf Kerim yearned for his mother. The widespread outcry on social media and the relentless efforts of human rights activists eventually led to a suspension of Gülten’s sentence. Yet, the separation had taken its toll. Despite becoming a symbol for children of imprisoned parents, Yusuf Kerim’s fragile health succumbed to the overwhelming odds. On October 2, 2023, he passed away, leaving a void too vast to fill.

Yusuf Kerim, now resting in Sakarya, left behind toys that are displayed in our exhibition, each a heartrending reminder of a system’s harshness that unjustly targeted the innocent, wielding its power to crush the most angelic of lives. These toys, crafted by his mother from her prison cell, are laden with her love and the anguish of separation.

Murat Tekin, a 21-year-old student at the Air Force Academy, met a tragic fate on the Bosphorus Bridge during the coup attempt in July. His family in Izmir seeks justice for the brutal killing of their son, who was first strangled and then had his throat slit. Murat was among the students attending a 1.5-month summer camp in Yalova when, in the early hours of July 16, they were brought to the Bosphorus Bridge. Their commanders falsely claimed there was a suicide bomber among the crowd and ordered the students to fire. However, Murat chose to leave his weapon and join the crowd, where he was savagely murdered with skewers, sticks, and iron rods. Ten days later, his unrecognizable body was identified by his family at the Yenibosna Forensic Medicine Morgue with great difficulty.

Sedat Tekin, Murat’s father, recalls the harrowing experience at the morgue with tears in his eyes: “They first showed us a photo. I had to unveil my son completely. His body was in such a state that I could only recognize him from a mark on his nail and three moles on his face. Gradually, his hair and feet started to look familiar, but it was an unbearable sight. My son was dismembered with cutting tools and sticks.” Şevkiye Tekin, Murat›s mother, shares her grief: «We had plans for his future, thinking of getting him married after he finished school so he wouldn›t be alone. Tragically, the money we saved for his wedding was used for his funeral. It was his destiny… I raised him right, never teaching him to be a bad person. He wouldn’t have gone among the people if he were bad. God granted him martyrdom. He appeared in his sister›s dream, telling her, ‹Tell mom not to be sad, I have become a martyr.›» In our exhibition, you can see Murat Tekin’s cap from the military school.

Enes Evren Civelek, a contract teacher in Düzce, was swept up in the Hizmet movement investigations and imprisoned on April 5, 2017, in Kırıkkale Keskin Prison. Accused of being a member of the organization, he was sentenced to 25 years and 6 months. The family, residing in Düzce, endured arduous journeys for their visits to the prison, their repeated requests for transfer to a facility closer to home were denied, despite their youngest daughter Betül’s health challenges making travel difficult.

Tragedy struck on December 7, 2018, during a return trip from one such prison visit. Enes’s wife Hatice Civelek, their daughters Naime (8) and Betül (3.5), his mother-in-law Havva Civelek, and father Emin Balıkçı were involved in a devastating traffic accident. Havva Civelek and Emin Balıkçı died at the scene, while Hatice was severely injured. Heartbreakingly, both daughters, Naime and Betül, later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.

In our exhibition, you can see the shoe worn by 3-year-old Betül on that fateful day, and the last letters 8-year-old Naime wrote to her father. These items are heartrending reminders of a family torn apart by circumstances beyond their control.

Born in 1974 in Göksun, Kahramanmaraş, Kazım Aksoy began his law enforcement career after graduating from the Police Academy in 1996. His service in Istanbul’s police force saw him moving through various roles, including the Riot Force, the Radio TV and Photo Film Branch, Financial Crimes Branch, Gaziosmanpaşa Public Security, Counter-Terrorism Branch, and eventually returning to the Financial Crimes Branch as an assistant director. His career took a tumultuous turn following his involvement in an anti-corruption operation on December 17, 2013, targeting political figures. Initially transferred to Gaziosmanpaşa district and then suspended, Aksoy was eventually dismissed from service in June 2014.

Within a month of his dismissal, he was detained in the early morning hours of July 22, 2014, but released after eight days without charge due to the expiration of the four-day detention limit. Shortly thereafter, he was detained again in August, only to be released after another round of questioning. These detentions were linked to the Selam Tevhid case. A few weeks later, on September 1, 2014, he was arrested for his involvement in the December 17-25 anti-corruption operations and was incarcerated in Metris Prison before being transferred to Silivri Prison, where he has remained for approximately eight years.

Throughout this period, Aksoy faced multiple life sentences, including 16 years for the Tahşiye case and additional sentences related to Selam Tevhid, December 17, December 25, and the February 7 MIT crisis. Our exhibition features Kazım Aksoy’s police uniform, a symbol of his long and challenging journey through the justice system.

Murat Akçabay and his wife Hatice were educators whose lives were upended when their affiliated institution was closed down, citing connections with the Hizmet Movement. Facing arrest due to these alleged ties, the couple spent 23 months in hiding, their greatest fear being the possibility of both being detained and leaving their three children without care. Struggling with unemployment, unable to seek medical care for their sick children, and deprived of all social rights, the Akçabays reached a breaking point and decided to flee Turkey through clandestine means.

On the night of July 18, 2018, while attempting to cross the Meriç River into Greece, their boat capsized. Tragically, Hatice Akçabay, aged 36, and their three sons, Ahmet Esat (6), Mesut (5), and Bekir Aras (1), lost their lives in the waters of Meriç. Only the father, Murat Akçabay, survived this harrowing ordeal.

In our exhibit, you will find the remnants of this tragedy: a shirt and shawl belonging to Hatice, and shirts and a t-shirt that once belonged to their young children. These items are not just articles of clothing; they are silent witnesses to a family’s desperate bid for freedom and the heartbreaking cost of their Journey

During the operations conducted in Şırnak and its districts, a curfew was declared from January 1 to December 5, 2015. During this period, 157 civilian Kurds lost their lives. Among them was 11-year-old Cemile Çağırga, who was fatally shot on September 7, 2015, in front of her home in Cizre. Emine Çağırga, Cemile’s mother, recounts the harrowing event:

“Our house is on a high point. Explosions and gunshots were heard from Cizre. We went out to the door to see what was going on. Suddenly, the shots were directed toward us. We fled to the courtyard. Cemile fell in front of me, so I immediately tried to cover her to protect her. When I got up, I saw that Cemile was injured. I screamed for help, but it was too late; my daughter Cemile died in my arms. That night, I slept with my daughter’s body on my chest. I applied henna on her hair and hands in the morning. Then we washed her and covered her. They didn’t allow us to bury her because of the curfew. We had to put my daughter’s body in a freezer room for three days. Later, when the deputies came, we took her body to the morgue of the hospital”

Our exhibit displays a notebook with Cemile Çağırga’s handwritten notes, two of her blouses, and photographs depicting how her mother preserved her body in a freezer. These items are reminders of a young life tragically lost and a mother’s profound grief in the face of unbearable circumstances.

Kurdish political prisoner Garibe Gezer was arrested on March 3, 2016. On March 15, she was transferred from Kayseri Prison to Kandıra No. 1 F Type Prison in Kocaeli. There, Gezer spent 22 days in solitary confinement before requesting to be moved to a three-person cell, a request that was denied. She revealed that she had been sexually assaulted and systematically tortured by prison guards.

As a result of these disclosures, her family visits were restricted, and she was placed first in a padded room and then returned to her cell. Undeterred, Gezer communicated her ordeal to the public through letters to the press. On the night of December 9, 2021, the prison administration announced that Garibe Gezer had committed suicide in her cell. Her lawyers sought to be present at the autopsy but were prevented from doing so. Gezer was buried on the night of December 10, 2021, in Dargeçit, Mardin. Garibe’s sister, who sent us Garibe’s t-shirt, hair clip, and a rose made by her in prison, shared the stories behind these items:

“This is one of the t-shirts I sent to my sister in prison. When I first sent it, she scolded me during our weekly phone call. She usually preferred dark clothes and would tell me to buy them loose for comfort. I had sent her light-colored ones, and she asked me why I didn’t listen to her preference. I told her with a laugh, ‘The walls there are colorless, shouldn’t your spirits have some color? I sent these to brighten your eyes and heart a little.’ After a while, she told me “Xukoo, I and my friends are happy that you’ve sent me brighter colors, it helped us lift the mood, you were right”

In our exhibit, you will see the t-shirt, hair clip, and the rose crafted by Garibe Gezer in prison.

Orhan İnandı, an educator in Kyrgyzstan since 1995, served as the General Director of the International Sapat Educational Institutions from 2001. A PhD in pedagogy and a citizen of the Kyrgyz Republic, İnandı’s contributions to the country’s education system were significant. Under his leadership, the institution, which included 16 high schools, a university, an international school, and 9 primary schools, was awarded the “Excellence in Kyrgyz Republic Education” Honor Medal in 2002, along with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Kyrgyz Republic. In 2003, he was further honored with a Medal of Honor. On the evening of May 31, 2021, after 9:00 PM, Orhan İnandı suddenly vanished. His family and loved ones were unable to reach him, engulfed in a sea of uncertainty and fear. It was later revealed that İnandı was abducted in Kyrgyzstan by the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT) on May 31 and forcibly taken to Turkey.

The distressing reality of İnandı’s ordeal came to light when a photograph was released, showing him bearing the marks of torture. Subsequent medical examinations in prison revealed three fractures between his right elbow and shoulder, attributed to the severe torture he endured. Unable to undergo surgery due to the healed fractures, İnandı has been unable to use his right arm for about five months. During his trial, İnandı, tortured for his statements at the police station, declared that he did not see the Hizmet Movement as a terrorist organization.

In our exhibit, you can see the items that bear witness to Orhan İnandı’s harrowing journey: the arm brace for his broken arm, his slippers, and photographs taken in prison, all of which are powerful symbols of a man’s resilience and the grave human rights violations he suffered.

Tahir Elçi, born in 1966 in Cizre, Şırnak, grew into a figure of significance in the realm of law and human rights. After graduating from Dicle University’s Faculty of Law in 1991, he began his legal career as a freelance lawyer in Diyarbakır, where he practiced from 1992 until 1998. His dedication to the law led him to serve as an administrator at the Diyarbakır Bar Association from 1998 to 2006, a period that saw significant contributions from him to the field of law. Elçi’s commitment to justice extended beyond the borders of Turkey. He received specialized training in international criminal law and criminal proceedings at the European Law Academy in Germany. His expertise and insights made him a respected speaker at numerous international conferences.

In November 2012, Elçi’s peers recognized his dedication and elected him as the chairman of the Diyarbakır Bar Association. He was not only a legal luminary but also an active member of the Human Rights Association. He served on the Human Rights Center Science Advisory Board of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and was a part of the Founding Board of the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey. Elçi’s role as a human rights activist was integral to his identity.

Tragically, his life was abruptly and violently cut short on November 28, 2015. While making a statement in the Sur district of Diyarbakır province, he was shot in the head during a terrorist attack, silencing a powerful voice for justice and human rights. On display in our exhibit is the tie that Tahir Elçi wore during that fateful day

Born in 1977 into a family from Iğdır, Mehmet Baransu completed his high school education in Erzurum before securing a place at Istanbul University’s Faculty of Communication. Moving to Istanbul, he began his journalism career as an intern at Akşam newspaper. During his studies, he also worked at the school’s news agency and briefly on the “32. Gün” program. Baransu then joined Aksiyon magazine, where he worked from 1997 to 2000, followed by a stint at Hürriyet newspaper before moving to the newly established Taraf newspaper. His reporting there led to multiple charges against him for allegedly violating the confidentiality of investigations.

On March 2, 2015, Baransu was arrested and imprisoned for his journalistic activities, specifically for an article in the now-closed Taraf newspaper titled “The Decision to End Gülen Was Made at the National Security Council in 2004.” He was sentenced to 17 years and 1 month in prison on four different charges and is currently still incarcerated. During his time in both the courthouse and prison, Baransu has faced various human rights violations, including torture, the denial of telephone rights, and restricted visitation rights. Baransu remains in Silivri Prison, enduring ongoing rights violations, imprisoned solely for his work as a journalist.

In our exhibit, you will find a display of Baransu’s struggle for freedom of expression: a radio allowed for his use for only one week before being confiscated, and photographs taken with his wife and family during his time in prison. These items represent the harsh reality of a journalist enduring significant hardship for the pursuit of truth.