Turkish police detain Amedspor footballer’s mother unable to stand for national anthem

Duvar English

Turkish police on Nov. 5 temporarily detained Kurdish Amedspor club footballer Oktay Aydın’s mother for not standing up during the singing of Turkey’s national anthem at the Amedspor-Etimesgut Belediyespor match played in southeastern Diyarbakır province.

Fatma Aydın came to the stadium for the first time to watch her son's match and sat in the box seat due to a problem with her knees. The sports club also shared a message on X to confirm her health problems.

The police detained her at half-time for not standing up during the national anthem at the beginning of the match.

Aydın was taken to the police station and therefore could not see the goal scored by his son, which brought points to Amedspor. Those accompanying the woman at the police station showed her the goal on a mobile phone. 

Fatma Aydın's testimony was taken and then she was released.

Some 11 Amedspor fans were detained for not standing up during the singing of national anthem at another match played in Diyarbakır province on Aug. 27.

Previously, legal action was taken against six Amedspor fans who did not rise for the national anthem during a match in 2021, as well as 19 individuals from a match in 2022. These individuals were charged with the offense of "publicly insulting the national anthem."

In 2016, attorneys representing 29 fans who were detained on accusations of “insulting the national anthem and promoting a terrorist organization” during a football match stated that their clients had experienced torture and were coerced into singing the national anthem while in custody.

In March 2023, Amedspor players were injured in racist attacks during a match in Bursa province and received death threats from hooligans in the stadium.