REPUBLIC OF TÜRKİYE MINISTRY OF JUSTICE

MINISTER OF JUSTICE TUNÇ: WE WILL ALWAYS SUPPORT THE STRUGGLE OF OUR DİYARBAKIR MOTHERS

Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç said, "The brave and courageous stance of the mothers, especially in breaking the back of terrorism, has been a great source of morale in the region. We will always continue to support this struggle of our Diyarbakır mothers in order to achieve a peaceful future as a nation."

Minister of Justice Tunç visited Diyarbakır mothers who have been on a sit-in protest for their children since 3 September 2019. Families, who told Minister Tunç how their children were abducted to the mountains, expressed their reactions to the terrorist organization PKK and the HDP.

Minister of Justice Tunç, who made a statement following his meeting with the families, said: "We have made very significant progress in terms of establishing justice, removing obstacles to human rights one by one in terms of trust in justice and freedom. "I hope we will maintain this determination from now on as well."

46 FAMILIES HAVE BEEN REUNITED WITH THEIR CHILDREN TO DATE

Mentioning that Diyarbakır mothers gave the world the message "We reject terrorism. We fight for human rights. We defend the right to life. We reject terrorism and violence. We want our children.", Minister of Justice Tunç stated that mothers continue this struggle with great sacrifice and great courage.

Noting that families continue this struggle determinedly and without compromise, regardless of snow, winter, pandemic or earthquake, Minister Tunç said that this determination of mothers is very significant.

Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç said, "This is admirable, we are grateful to them. This brave and courageous stance of the mothers, especially at the point of breaking the back of terrorism, has become a source of morale in the region. 366 families and mothers participated in this sit-in protest. To date, 46 families have been reunited with their children. Our wish is that our other mothers will be reunited with their children as soon as possible and that our country will move towards a peaceful future free from terrorism and hopefully the Century of Türkiye. At this point, we thank them very much for their brave, self-sacrificing stance."

THIS STRUGGLE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL YOUR CHILDREN ARE SAVED

Minister Tunç continued his speech as follows: "I hope this struggle will continue until we all eradicate terrorism together and until your children are saved."

"We have raised the standards of our democracy in Türkiye in an unimaginable way, especially in the coming period, as we have done so far. We have made very significant progress in terms of establishing justice, removing obstacles to human rights and freedoms, one by one, in terms of trust in justice. Hopefully, we will continue this determination from now on as well. We will always continue to support this struggle of our Diyarbakır mothers in order to achieve a peaceful future as a nation.

I convey the greetings of our esteemed President. We owe you gratitude. I hope this will continue until we all eradicate terrorism and your children are saved. Hopefully, all together, we will build our country, Diyarbakır, other provinces, and the whole of Türkiye, a peaceful future as a nation, fraternally, in the Century of Türkiye. We congratulate you wholeheartedly for this brave stance and kiss the hands of mothers."

WE REVISED INVESTMENTS IN DİYARBAKIR

Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç, who also visited Diyarbakır Governorship as part of his contacts in Diyarbakır, made statements following the visit.

Stating that they have been reviewing the investments in Diyarbakır and making evaluations about the planned works, Minister Tunç said, "We will bring a justice complex to our Diyarbakır. Our Diyarbakır Justice Complex will have a closed usage area of ​​189 thousand square meters. Diyarbakır will be at the point of justice for many years. We have proposed this project, which will meet Diyarbakır’s need for justice services for many years, to the 2024 investment program."

Reminding that Diyarbakır was one of the provinces affected by the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes on 6 February, Minister Tunç stated that significant progress has been made in the repair of damaged buildings, the demolition of heavily damaged ones and the house construction.

Tunç said, "There was no damage to the buildings belonging to the Ministry of Justice, we had buildings with minor damage. We quickly repaired those buildings."

Referring to the importance of Diyarbakır for Türkiye, Minister Tunç emphasized that the city has hosted civilizations and is a city of history, tourism and agriculture.

Stating that they will carry out good and productive works in Diyarbakır, Tunç said:

"There is a central justice building in Diyarbakır, which is especially in the investment program of our Ministry and we attach importance to this. It is a very important investment, a need for our Diyarbakır. On this matter, our esteemed MPs also visited our Ministry of Justice and our Governor has expressed this for many times. It is an important project that we will hopefully implement in this period. We will hopefully bring a justice complex to Diyarbakır in a large area in the Medya Neighborhood of our Kayapınar district. Our Diyarbakır Justice Complex will have a closed usage area of ​​189 thousand square meters. We have offered this project to the 2024 investment program and it will meet the needs of Diyarbakır in justice services for many years. After we have swiftly completed the project efforts, we will hopefully start the construction procurement process as well. The place that previously served as the central justice building in Diyarbakır is a historical building. We restored it and opened it to service in 2011, it is 4 thousand square meters. It is a place that does not meet the needs. In addition, after our new building is built, the Administrative Court will be carried to the building where the civil courts now operate and which was built as the Diyarbakır Regional Court of Justice building with a closed area of ​​15 thousand square meters".

Reminding that the construction of the Forensic Science Institution Group Presidency in Diyarbakır was completed and put into service, Minister Tunç emphasized that this was an important investment that met the needs of the region.

WE ALSO OFFERED 230 COURTHOUSE STAFF RESIDENCES TO THE INVESTMENT PROGRAM

"Taking into consideration the housing needs of our courthouse staff, we revised our program in the same way in other provinces, especially due to the demolition of the houses in the last earthquake. We also offered a total of 230 courthouse staff residences to the investment program, including 156 addition houses in the center Diyarbakır and 74 in districts. Our Bismil courthouse was completed in 2007. It meets the needs there. We also offered the projects of new courthouse buildings with closed areas ranging from 2 thousand 500 square meters to 6 thousand 500 square meters in our Çınar, Eğil, Hazro, Lice and Silvan districts for the 2024 investment program". Minister of Justice Tunç added that they will conduct swift follow up and meet the courthouse needs of these districts in the future.

Indicating that the construction of courthouses inside government mansions in Çüngüş, Dicle and Hani districts is continuing, Minister Tunç stated that they will complete the efforts quickly in coordination with the Minister of Internal Affairs.

Explaining that the projects for a new government building in Kulp district have been completed, Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç asserted that these projects are under the TOKİ Presidency.

WE ENSURE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NEW COURTS IN LINE WITH THE NEEDS

Stating that they have ensured the establishment of new courts in Diyarbakır in line with the need and that they will continue their efforts accordingly with the needs, Minister Tunç said "Finally 3 courts of civil jurisdiction, a total of three courts one of them being family court and 2 execution judgeships and also an administrative court, are planned to be established. Especially Taking into account the intensity of administrative cases filed in our provinces at the earthquake region, 21 new administrative courts were established in there. An additional administrative court in Diyarbakır, which we see as a need, was put into service this year. We have planning efforts for the establishment of 24 new courts".

Minister Tunç pointed out that all his wishes are to cleanse the country from all terrorist elements that disrupt peace and threaten security, and to bring peace to every individual of the nation, and noted that they will continue their efforts in the new period under the leadership of the Presidency, without compromising their determination in the fight against terrorism.

CONVERSION OF DIYARBAKIR PRISON INTO A MUSEUM

Expressing that Diyarbakır Prison is a place remembered with tortures and anti-democratic attitudes especially after the September 12 coup Minister Tunç continued his speech as follows:

"We closed Diyarbakır Prison while we were working under the Ministry of Justice. After it was closed, we transferred it to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism on 12 October 2022 in order to convert it to a museum. Sinop Prison is similar to this, you know the efforts in Yassıada and Ulucanlar Prison. The memories of Ulucanlar Prison are also dark stain in our history.

Likewise, a part of Diyarbakır Prison will be preserved as a lesson for the future in order to revive that memory. Our Ministry of Culture and Tourism designed the other areas as places where cultural activities such as museums, libraries, exhibitions and theaters will be held. Our efforts continue in Diyarbakır Prison, which is remembered with bad memories, both to show that memory to future generations and to ensure that other areas serve Diyarbakır in terms of cultural activities."