'I gave one Deniz, now a thousand Deniz will be born'

  • women
  • 09:08 16 June 2025
  • |
img

İZMİR - Deniz Poyraz lost his life in the attack on Peoples' Democracy Party (HDP) Izmir Provincial Organisation in Izmir on 17 June 2021. "I gave one martyr, I gave one Deniz. Now a thousand Deniz will be born," says mother Fehime Poyraz. 

 
It has been 4 years since Deniz Poyraz was murdered. Throughout 7 hearings, all requests of the family's lawyers to reveal the instigators of the perpetrator Onur Gencer were rejected. At the end of the trial, the perpetrator Gencer was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for "premeditated intentional killing", 4 years for "damaging property", 2 years for "violation of residential inviolability" and 3 years for "unauthorised possession of firearms".
 
In the intervening 4 years, she has not given up her demand for a real justice to be established so that the forces behind the perpetrator are exposed and prosecuted. Speaking to Mezopotamya Agency (MA) on the 4th anniversary of her daughter's murder, Fehime Poyraz and her father Abdulillah Poyraz stated that the murderer was not the only one and renewed their demand for the forces behind the murder to be revealed. Stating that her daughter had many dreams, Fehime Poyraz said, "Deniz's struggle affected everyone. The people also loved her. She never offended a friend, she loved everyone. No matter what we did, she was always smiling. She never showed that his heart was broken. We loved her very much because he was so devoted to us, because she was devoted to her people. We cannot forget her. When Deniz was martyred, I said, 'I gave one martyr, I gave one Deniz, now a thousand Denizs will be born.'"
 
'I PROMISED NOT TO CRY'
 
Fehime Poyraz stated that her daughter was in a distress before she was murdered and said, "She came, 'Why are you like that? Let me take you to the hospital,' she said. I said 'No.' She made a coffee, we drank it. We stayed on the balcony until 2 a.m. I went to bed and I didn't see her leave in the morning. Afterwards, we received many phone calls. Then we received news from Mardin, Adana, Ömerli and everywhere. Someone on television said 'Deniz Poyraz was murdered in the building'. I was shocked at that time. I can't describe the voice that came out of me. I promised, I won't cry like all mums. I didn't cry. I really promised my Serok (Leader-Abdullah Öcalan) that I wouldn't cry. I held my head high. I said, 'How happy I am.' I wanted to go and see my daughter, but they wouldn't let me. It was a difficult day. It is the same until now.”
 
'WE WANT PEACE'
 
Fehime Poyraz, who stated that she was also involved in the struggle, said that the crowd in front of the party building when Deniz Poyraz was murdered encouraged her. Fehime Poyraz said, "We need to struggle. I say to all mothers, one should struggle after one's own child. How long will this blood be shed? We want peace. We do not want a fight. They are not in favour of peace. Let the prisons be empty, let all the ill prisoners come out. Let our Serok come out. I call on mothers of soldiers and mothers of guerrillas to join hands, to prevent bloodshed. Because they are mothers, their lungs are burning too. I salute the parents of martyrs, I bow to them with respect. I want mothers and fathers to unite."
 
'ONUR GENCER IS NOT THE ONLY MURDERER'
 
Father Abdullillah Poyraz emphasised that Onur Gencer was not the only murderer and said: "We wanted those who helped the murderer to be tried as well. But there was no such trial. The killer even threatened the judge. Sometimes he turned round and threatened us. So there was no justice from the court.”
 
PRESSURES ON THE FAMILY
 
Stating that there were also pressures against them, father said: "When Deniz was martyred, there were pressures against us. They cut in front of me many times when I was going to work. They told me, 'You were on TV, we saw you talking. The pressures continued, we even changed our house, but they were coming in front of our house. Even on the anniversary of her death or on her birthday, when we go to her grave, the gendarmerie and police come. Sometimes when I go there I see civilian police vehicles. Even a month ago my neighbours told me that there was a police vehicle in front of my house."
 
MA / Uğurcan Boztaş

View More Articles

29/07/2025
19:26 Journalists in front of Israeli Consulate: We stand with our Palestinian colleagues
19:12 Impunity decision in case of women's bodies being publicly displayed during Cizîr curfew
18:06 Asrin Law Office: Biased and false news about Veysi Aktaş aimed at undermining the process
10:59 'We Want graves of our loved ones and the perpetrators to be prosecuted'
10:40 Police officer who killed 7-year-old child will not be prosecuted
10:16 33 Years without journalist Abayay: His successors continue the search for truth
09:56 Call to strengthen the Democratic Unity Initiative
09:32 Jakob Migenda: Öcalan's freedom is a sign of the liberation of peoples
28/07/2025
21:45 Öcalan: Participation of all segments in process is a vital necessity
21:08 Abdullah Öcalan and prisoners in İmralı meet with families
12:12 Letter from 100 women: We want to meet Öcalan
11:02 Observation Boards target hopes for peace and resolution
10:44 Two prisoners’ sentences cancelled at Düzce T-Type Prison
10:14 Why the Autonomous Administration and Damascus meeting postponed?
09:26 Participants in National Unity Conference: We can win together
26/07/2025
12:24 Unity among Kurds will lead to victory says Mehmet Kamac
12:04 'Conference on the Importance of Kurdish National Unity' begin
09:10 Veysi Aktaş who held in İmralı releases
09:04 Statement by İmralı delegation after meeting with Abdullah Öcalan
25/07/2025
09:50 Letter from 88 Nobel laureates to international organisations
24/07/2025
10:08 Mexmur Residents: We want to return to our lands with dignity
10:05 Peace Mothers Assembly: Peace cannot be one-sided
09:57 Conferences in Bazîd and Mêrdîn to focus on Kurdish Unity and Peace Process
23/07/2025
09:15 Emine Ocak passed away
22/07/2025
13:17 Democratic Alevi Associations Co-chair: Burning weapons marks the birth of new existences
13:01 Lawyer Veysi Atmaca: Constitutional reform is vital for resolving the Kurdish issue
12:38 Legal guarantees are needed for those who lay down arms says journalist Bayramoglu
12:13 Citizens in Aydın: All parties must engage their base in peace process
21/07/2025
15:21 Letter to 18 countries: Recognise the Yazidi genocide
14:56 You will witness progress taking place on the Parliament floor says Erdogan
14:00 'Freedom for Öcalan' march to be organised in Europe
13:37 We will build a free and equal life says DEM Party Women’s Assembly Spokesperson
12:52 Women to lead the process by expanding their organization
12:33 MIT Director Kalın to visit DEM Party
12:17 35 prisoners denied release in Bolu Prison
11:04 Circassians want to take part in Parliamentary Peace Commission
10:49 Civil society launches petition to join peace process in Amed
10:13 No government formed in Kurdistan region nine months after elections
09:58 Kurdish mother demands peace and justice after losing two children
20/07/2025
21:06 We will organise more in the new period says DBP Co-chair
20:43 Final Declaration from Êzidîs
20:00 Iran attacks on Eastern Kurdistan Defense Units
14:25 Commemoration for 33 'Dream Travelers': Call for accountability
11:19 Zeynep Yaman: My baby faced state violence before was even born
10:36 Watching the historic ceremony: Denial and assimilation must end
10:13 A Dream Traveller on road to Kobanê: Hogir
18/07/2025
21:10 85-year-old ill prisoner Sıddık Guler releases
21:01 What decisions taken at Commission meeting?
19:55 Release of 30-year prisoner postponed for the 2nd time
19:03 2 journalists acquitted 1 journalist sentenced