A Ceremony Was Held to Present the Sevinç Özgüner Human Rights, Peace, and Democracy Award and to Honor Her Memory
A Ceremony Was Held to Present the Sevinç Özgüner Human Rights, Peace, and Democracy Award and to Honor Her Memory
To honor the memory of Dentist Sevinç Özgüner, the first female member of the Central Council of the Turkish Medical Association (TTB), who was murdered on May 23, 1980, in her home in Mecidiyeköy by opponents of peace and democracy, to honor individuals working in the fields of human rights, peace, and democracy, and to encourage new initiatives in these areas, the “Dentist Sevinç Özgüner Human Rights, Peace, and Democracy Award and Commemoration Ceremony,” organized annually by the Istanbul Medical Chamber (İTO), was held on Thursday, May 21, 2026, at the Istanbul Dental Association’s Yılmaz Manisalı Training Center.
Following a welcome address by Dr. Meltem Günbeyi, a member of the İTO Human Rights Commission, Prof. Dr. Olcay Şakar, President of the Istanbul Dental Association (İDO), delivered the opening remarks on behalf of the İDO Board of Directors.
In his speech, Şakar honored Sevinç Özgüner—a champion of peace, democracy, equality, and human rights who spoke out for her country’s future throughout her life and paid the price for it— and congratulated the Istanbul Bar Association, which was honored with the award this year.
Dr. Irmak Saraç, Secretary General of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO), who spoke next, emphasized that people fighting for peace, democracy, freedom, and equality in Turkey have paid a heavy price. Saraç stated, “This award is not merely an honor; it is also an expression of the will to uphold democracy, the rule of law, and freedom of expression. “From this perspective, it is particularly significant that this year’s award was presented to the Istanbul Bar Association’s Board of Directors, which was put on trial for a statement they issued regarding journalists killed while reporting in Syria,” she said.
Later in the ceremony, Dr. Benan Koyuncu, a member of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) Board of Directors, gave a presentation recounting Sevinç Özgüner’s life and struggle, noting that her life embodied a struggle that serves as an example in today’s conditions and inspires hope and courage. In her presentation, Koyuncu outlined the recipients of the Sevinç Özgüner Human Rights, Peace, and Democracy Award in previous years and explained the rationale for awarding it to the Istanbul Bar Association this year.
Koyuncu noted that the President and Board members of the Istanbul Bar Association—who had issued a statement declaring that the targeting of journalists who lost their lives in an attack in Syria constituted a violation of international humanitarian law—were not only removed from their posts but also faced criminal charges. He emphasized that throughout this process, they had adopted a clear and resolute stance against the use of the law as a tool of political pressure, the violation of the right to defense, and the neutralization of professional organizations. Koyuncu concluded his remarks by noting that this stance taken by the Istanbul Bar Association serves as a principled example of professional organizations’ determination to fulfill their social responsibility during a period when the rule of law, peace, and democracy are being eroded.
Following the presentation, Dentist Hüseyin Meşeci—a fellow activist who had worked alongside Sevinç Özgüner on the TTB Central Council—joined the live broadcast via remote connection. Meşeci, noting that he had named his daughter Sevinç, paid tribute to his colleague, saying, “She had earned the respect and affection of those around her with her socialist worldview and combative personality. She paid the ultimate price with her life because she never gave up on her yearning for democracy, justice, and equality for the people.”
Among the guests who spoke at the ceremony was Dr. Nazmi Algan, an activist with the Istanbul Medical Association, spoke about the ceremonies organized to commemorate Özgüner and her comrades in the struggle, thanked the boards of directors of the Istanbul Dentists’ Association (İDO) and the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO), and conveyed greetings from Sevinç Özgüner’s daughters, Alev and Işıl Özgüner.
Hasan Yaviç, a member of the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Branch of the Human Rights Association (İHD), who attended the ceremony on behalf of the organization and served on the award jury, also stated in his speech, “As we honor dentist Sevinç Özgüner with respect, we will not compromise in the struggle for democracy and human rights. As the Human Rights Association, we demand that those responsible for unsolved murders and disappearances in custody be identified and brought to justice, that policies of impunity—such as statutes of limitations—be ended, and that these crimes be classified as crimes against humanity,” he said.
Prof. Dr. Osman Küçükosmanoğlu, who spoke at the ceremony, paid tribute to Sevinç Özgüner and invited Istanbul Bar Association President Attorney Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu to the podium to present the award.
After receiving the award, Istanbul Bar Association President Attorney Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu began his speech by greeting the participants on behalf of the Istanbul Bar Association’s administration, noting that it was important for the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce (İTO) and the Istanbul Port Authority (İDO)—which were once under the same umbrella—to continue this tradition. Kabaoğlu stated that the award given to the Istanbul Bar Association carried a great responsibility for them and noted that the statement they had issued was a natural part of the bar associations’ raison d’être.
Dentist Ayhan Öztürk, who attended the ceremony, announced that he had taken over Sevinç Özgüner’s dental practice, paid tribute to Sevinç Özgüner, and presented Istanbul Bar Association President Attorney Prof. Dr. İbrahim Özden Kaboğlu with a scale of justice as a gift.
We congratulate the Istanbul Bar Association’s Board of Directors and thank all those who attended the ceremony.
