Associations of people who lost their relatives to...

Associations of people who lost their relatives to terrorism protested the abolition of death penalty at a number of meetings across Turkey. Izmit Relatives of Martyrs Human Rights and Solidarity Association Chairman Yavuz Alphan said that Turkey cannot join the EU before bringing a solution to its unemployment, inflation and foreign debt problems. He also claimed that Turkish deputies are controlled by foreign powers.
"One prime minister and two ministers were executed in Turkey. These people never killed anyone and performed services for the nation," he said. "Today they cannot execute the murderer of 35,000 people. I hope God would give the biggest suffering to those who raised their hands to abolish death penalty." "We will no longer be used. We, the families of martyrs have at least four million votes. We'll agree with a party and send three or four deputies to Parliament."
Muslum Ozturk, Chairman of Sanliurfa Martyrs Families and Solidarity Association said they were deeply hurt by the latest decision and they had little trust left for the government. Sivas Martyrs Families Association Chairman Fikri Sahbaz said they decided to return the State Honour Medals they were given.
Members of the Security Forces Martyrs Families Association also joined the decision to return their medals to the state. Edirne Martyrs Families Solidarity Foundation Chairman Nesrin Dumanoglu also criticized Parliament's decision to abolish death penalty, making it which would make it impossible to execute terrorist chief [PKK leader Abdullah] Ocalan.