‘Our pain is immense’: Mother of slain Turkish-American activist demands justice for daughter's death at hands of Israeli soldiers

The mother of Aysenur Ezgi Eygi, a Turkish-American activist who was fatally shot while protesting against illegal Israeli settlements, is calling for justice, saying her daughter was deliberately targeted, Anadolu Agency reports.

Eygi was killed last Friday near Nablus, in the West Bank, during a peaceful demonstration.

Rabia Birden described her daughter, 26, as a devoted activist for peace in Palestine, who lost her life while working toward a just cause.

“Ayse was full of joy, excitement, energy and love, always working for peace. She went for peace, but she lost her life, my daughter became a martyr,” Birden told reporters.

Birden, devastated by her daughter’s death, called on Turkish authorities to pursue justice.

“The only thing I ask of our state is to seek justice for my daughter. Let my daughter’s blood not be left unavenged, and let those responsible be punished because my daughter was targeted.”

Since the incident, Birden and her family have been receiving condolences at their home in the Yatagan district of Mugla province. Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and other officials have been in contact with the family, offering support and ensuring the swift return of Eygi’s body to Turkiye.

“They did not let go of the matter and brought my daughter back to Turkiye within a week. I am very grateful to all of them. We will follow the legal process until the end. I don’t want any more Ayses to die, I don’t want anyone else to die or for other families to suffer,” Birden said.

Devran Birden, Eygi’s grandmother, tearfully recalled her granddaughter’s compassionate nature and her dedication to humanitarian work.

“She was a very special girl … She had gone there before with many aid organisations. She stayed there for four months. She was a very smart girl. I wish I could have seen her one more time.”

Eygi was killed on 6 September while protesting against illegal Israeli settlements, a central issue in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Turkish authorities have launched an investigation into her killing under domestic law.

Eygi’s body was returned to Turkiye on Friday, arriving in Istanbul via Azerbaijan. Turkish diplomatic missions in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem coordinated her body’s transfer.

READ: Turkiye seeks int’l arrest warrants over US-Turkish citizen killed in West Bank