ŞIRNEX - After the border crossing of the delegation that wanted to receive the bodies of the murdered journalists was prevented, the delegation travelling to Silopya protested the practice by marching with slogans "Nazım, Cihan rûmeta me ye".

 

The delegation that went to Habur Border Gate on 6 January to take the bodies of journalists Nazım Daştan and Cihan Bilgin, who were killed by Turkey's UCAV while they were following news in North and East Syria, were prevented from crossing the border. The delegation, including Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) Mêrdîn (Mardin) MP Kamuran Tanhan, Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG), Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) and families, protested the prevention with a mass march in Silopi district of Şirnex (Şırnak).

 

"Free press cannot be silenced" banner was unfurled and many people participated in the march. The mass gathered at Sanat Street and marched to the DEM Party district building with the slogans "Nazım Cihan Rûmeta me ye (Nazım and Cihan are our honour)", "Martyr will not die".

 

Speaking first in front of the district building, DFG Co-chair Selman Çiçek stated that the refusal to hand over the bodies was not humanitarian and said that enemy law was being applied against Kurds. 

 

Promising that they will continue Nazım and Cihan's struggle for truth, Çiçek said, "Tomorrow 10 January is Working Journalists' Day. Instead of celebrating this day, today we are struggling to take the bodies of two of our colleagues who were killed in the bombing of a car with a press sticker on it while they were working.  Enemy law is being applied against this struggle."

 

'WE WILL NOT STEP BACK FROM OUR STRUGGLE'

 

DEM Party Mêrdîn MP Kamuran Tanhan also emphasised that the prevention of burial of funerals is not acceptable in any religion, belief and law. Tanhan said, "We were told that our system has collapsed. But we know that what actually collapsed was their conscience and morality. Therefore, the struggle of our families will continue."

 

Noting that they will continue their struggle against this practice, Tanhan said, "They stopped their system to prevent us from passing. What were you afraid of? What are you hiding from the people? What had these journalists seen, what had they filmed? The government must answer this. Are you afraid of the genocide you inflicted on Kurds? We will announce this to the whole world. If they apply the law, we will win. The promises of those who promised us at first have turned to dust. Everyone should know that we will not step back from our just struggle."

 

The statement ended with the slogans "Free press cannot be silenced".