The Association for Solidarity with Human Rights and the Oppressed (MAZLUMDER) held its annual Human Rights Night and Awards Ceremony in Ankara, bringing together politicians, civil society representatives, journalists, and human rights advocates to spotlight ongoing rights violations in Türkiye and around the world.

The event culminated in the presentation of the 2025 Human Rights Awards, held this year under the theme “New Resolution Process, Gaza Trapped Between Genocide and Ceasefire.”

The ceremony took place at the Ulucanlar Prison Museum Conference Hall, a venue symbolically associated with Türkiye’s history of political repression and struggles for justice. Organized annually since 2001 to coincide with December 10 Human Rights Day, the event aims to raise public awareness, preserve collective memory, and strengthen the culture of human rights advocacy.

One of the most prominent awards of the night, the Human Rights Press Award, was presented to Ilke News Agency (ILKHA) for its sustained and principled coverage of the humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza, under the title “Gaza Trapped Between Genocide and Ceasefire.”

The ceremony was attended by MAZLUMDER Chairman Attorney Kaya Kartal, HÜDA PAR Deputy Chairman and Gaziantep MP Şahzade Demir, DEVA Party MP Mehmet Emin Ekmen, HÜDA PAR Deputy Chairman Hüseyin Yılmaz, HÜDA PAR Ankara Provincial Chairman Ahmet Karaarslan, former MP and MAZLUMDER executive Ayhan Bilgen, as well as representatives from various political parties, civil society organizations, and human rights platforms.

The program opened with an art exhibition reflecting themes of oppression, resistance, and human dignity. This was followed by a presentation by retired Colonel Mehmet Yavuz Ay, a member of MAZLUMDER’s Ankara Executive Board, who provided historical context about the Ulucanlar Prison Museum and its significance as a site of memory for political prisoners and victims of injustice.

After a MAZLUMDER promotional video, the opening address was delivered by Attorney Osman Yurt, Chairman of the MAZLUMDER Ankara Branch. A human rights-themed video presentation followed, setting the tone for the evening’s discussions.

In his keynote speech, MAZLUMDER Chairman Kaya Kartal emphasized the organization’s decades-long commitment to human rights education and advocacy. He highlighted MAZLUMDER’s “Human Rights School” initiative, which marked its 20th year in 2025.

Kartal explained that through this initiative, MAZLUMDER has conducted seminars and activities at universities, schools, foundations, associations, and even private homes. “Through seminars titled ‘Our Rights’ held in homes, we tried to explain human rights awareness, the struggle for human rights, and the tools and methods available to society,” he said. “We have carried out this mission with passion and dedication, and we hope to continue doing so successfully.”

Reflecting on Türkiye’s human rights trajectory, Kartal acknowledged periods of stagnation and regression but stressed MAZLUMDER’s resilience. “Sometimes we take two steps forward and one step back. Sometimes we see that despite years of effort, we have not advanced on certain issues, or have even gone backward,” he said. “But we have never fallen into despair. Those who engage in this struggle know that the struggle itself brings value and honor.”

He underlined that MAZLUMDER’s work is rooted in a moral commitment inherited from earlier generations of rights defenders. “With this sense of value and honor, we have continued this struggle, just like the friends and mentors who carried this banner before us,” Kartal added.

Addressing the theme of the night, Kartal described Gaza as the most striking symbol of the current global human rights crisis. “Gaza is, unfortunately, still experiencing an ongoing genocide,” he said, noting that despite repeated ceasefire announcements, violations have occurred hundreds of times.

He criticized the international community and signatory states for failing to establish effective monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. “Gaza has exposed, in the clearest possible way, the crisis of international law, human rights institutions, and even the discourse of human rights itself,” Kartal stated. “In this century, in our time, we witnessed a genocide live on air, and as humanity, we could not stop it.”

Kartal also addressed the second pillar of the theme, describing Türkiye as standing at a critical crossroads amid what he termed a “new resolution process.” He stressed that escalating global tensions, wars, and crises make internal peace and social justice more urgent than ever.

“These processes no longer concern only official borders but also our natural geography and directly affect the peoples of this region,” he said. Kartal emphasized the need to create a social and political framework in which every individual can live with dignity and feel a sense of belonging.

Touching on the Kurdish issue, he argued that any genuine solution must be based on recognition rather than denial. “If today we speak of a Kurdish issue, this inevitably requires a ground where Kurdish existence is not denied or ignored,” he said, calling for an inclusive structure in which all components of society feel valued.

Following the speeches, MAZLUMDER presented several awards under the theme “New Resolution Process, Gaza Trapped Between Genocide and Ceasefire.” These included the Individual Human Rights Struggle Award, Organized Human Rights Struggle Award, Human Rights Press Award, Av. Aydın Durmuş Young Lawyer Award, and the Recep Vidin Loyalty Award.

The Human Rights Press Award was awarded to Ilke News Agency (ILKHA) for its consistent reporting on human rights violations in Gaza, amplifying the voices of the oppressed and documenting the consequences of Israeli attacks without discrimination.

In the award citation, MAZLUMDER highlighted ILKHA’s editorial policy of keeping Gaza and Palestine on the public agenda and conveying the suffering of civilians to a global audience.

The award was presented to Mehmet Sait Çelik, ILKHA’s Ankara Representative, by MAZLUMDER Deputy Chairman Ali Dalaz and MAZLUMDER Malatya Branch Chairman Bahattin Anıl.

In his acceptance speech, Çelik commemorated nearly 300 journalists who have been killed in Gaza since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Flood operation. “I remember with mercy and gratitude the journalists who were martyred while honorably performing their profession in Gaza, as well as the martyrs of Gaza and the martyrs of Islam,” he said, thanking MAZLUMDER for the recognition.

MAZLUMDER Deputy Chairman Ali Dalaz praised İLKHA’s dedication, stating that the agency has consistently stood alongside Palestinian solidarity initiatives. He noted that ILKHA representatives are present at nearly every Palestine-related event in Ankara, “like a one-man large team,” and invited members of the Ankara Palestine Solidarity Platform to join the award presentation.

The event concluded with a group photo symbolizing unity and solidarity, followed by a musical performance. Participants emphasized that the ceremony was not only an awards night but also a reaffirmation of commitment to justice, resistance against oppression, and the defense of human dignity—particularly for the people of Gaza, whose suffering remains at the center of global conscience. (ILKHA)