DIDIM, Turkey. Hundreds gathered in the coastal city of Didim on Saturday for the funeral of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi, a 26-year-old Turkish-American activist who was fatally shot in the Israeli-occupied West Bank during a protest against settlement expansion. Attendees waved Turkish and Palestinian flags as a guard of honor carried her coffin, draped in the Turkish flag.
High-ranking Turkish officials attended the solemn ceremony, including Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Parliament Speaker Numan Kurtulmus, and opposition leader Ozgur Ozel. Parliament Speaker Kurtulmus passionately addressed the mourners, stating, “The blood of Ayşenur Eygi is as sacred as that of every Palestinian martyred, and we will follow it until the end. As the Turkish nation, we are fully committed. As a state, we are fully committed.”
Eygi was killed on September 6 while participating in a protest against Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank. The Israeli military has acknowledged that its troops shot the activist, though it claimed the shooting was accidental during what they described as a demonstration that turned violent. However, Kurtulmus disputed this, saying, “She was directly targeted and shot behind her left ear. May God have mercy on her, and may her soul rest in paradise.”
Turkey has vowed to seek justice, with officials pledging to hold those responsible accountable in international courts. “We will ensure this case is pursued until the end,” said Kurtulmus. “We will hold them accountable in all international courts. Yesterday, we completed all autopsies by international standards.”
The Turkish government also stated that it would request international arrest warrants for those responsible, labeling Eygi’s death an intentional killing. Ankara’s firm stance is echoed by U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who, on Wednesday, condemned the killing as “unacceptable” and called on Israel to prevent such incidents from happening again.
Prayers for Eygi were held in cities across Turkey, including Istanbul and Ankara, as the nation mourns her loss and rallies behind her cause.
Si Venus L Peñaflor ay naging editor-in-chief ng Newsworld, isang lokal na pahayagan ng Laguna. Publisher din siya ng Daystar Gazette at Tutubi News Magazine. Siya ay isa ring pintor at doll face designer ng Ninay Dolls, ang unang Manikang Pilipino. Kasali siya sa DesignCrowd sa rank na #305 sa 640,000 graphic designers sa buong daigdig. Kasama din siya sa unang Local TV Broadcast sa Laguna na Beyond Manila. Aktibong kasapi siya ng San Pablo Jaycees Senate bilang isang JCI Senator.
