ANKARA - Making a statement on the 29th anniversary of the Vartinis Massacre, HDP Law and Human Rights Commission Co-Spokespersons said: "Our political and legal struggle will continue so that those responsible for the massacre are punished sooner or later."

 

The Democratic Party of Rights (HDP) Law and Human Rights Commission Co-Spokespersons Nuray Özdoğan and Serhat Eren made a written statement on the anniversary of the murder of family of a citizen named Nasır Öğüt, 9 people from the same family, including 7 children, the eldest 12 and the youngest only 3 years old, was burned by the state forces on October 3, 1993 in the Vartinis town of the Korkut district of Muş.

 

Emphasizing that the massacre was covered up and the perpetrators were tried to be acquitted, the statement said: "Our political and legal struggle will continue so that those responsible for this massacre are punished sooner or later."

 

PRINCIPLE OF JUSTICE

 

The Vartinis Case is also in danger of dropping due to prescription on October 3, 2023. The judiciary's procrastination hurts the public's conscience, weakens the belief in justice, and encourages perpetrators who think they are wearing the armor of impunity to commit new crimes. The judicial practice in which victims are victimized more by the judiciary and perpetrators are rewarded with impunity should be ended, the truth should be revealed by confronting the past, action should be taken within the framework of the restorative justice principle, and the judiciary should be encouraged. The current political power unfortunately protects and rewards the perpetrators.

 

We never accept that the perpetrators of other massacre cases, especially the Vartnis Massacre, are rewarded with impunity through acquittal or prescription. Our political and legal struggle will continue so that those responsible for this massacre are punished sooner or later.”