Türkiye - March 09, 2025 Alevi institutions in Istanbul protested the attacks of the new regime led by HTS in Syria, especially on Alevi villages in the coastal areas of the country. Following the call for action by Alevi organizations in front of the Syrian Consulate General, the Şişli District Governor's Office made a statement declaring the Alevi organizations as a "marginal group" and banning the protest. The Istanbul Police Department took extensive security measures in the consulate area and closed the entrances and exits in front of the institution. Declaring that they did not recognize the protest ban, the Alevi organizations marched to Maçka Park and held a press statement there. Slogans such as "Murderer Colani, collaborator AKP (Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi)", "Don't stay silent, shout out, Alevism is a right", "Don't stay silent, your turn will come if you stay silent" and "Murderer USA, get out of the Middle East" were frequently chanted during the protest. The Alevi organizations described the events in Syria as genocide. Following the press release, permission was not given to mass lay a black wreath with the words “End the Alevi genocide” near the consulate. Sevim Yalıncakoğlu read the joint press release. After the talks, the police allowed the laying of a black wreath accompanied by a 15-person delegation. SPEECHES 00:54:05 - 01:38:07 Zeynel Abidin Koç, President of the Turkish Alevi Federation: We are following what is happening in Syria from Istanbul and all over Turkey, we are receiving information. There are very serious attacks. They are trying to make it seem like they are fighting with soldiers from the Assad era by saying ‘Assad leftovers’. There is a massacre, a genocide targeting civilians, women, children. We know what HTS and Julani did in the past and the massacres they committed. We know that they never had any interest in establishing a state and that they did not take a stance in favor of peace. Everything is already out in the open. We will also provide all our contributions to the establishment of a secular republic in Syria. 01:57:00 - 02:38:07 Sevim Yalıncakoğlu: The interim government, its leader Julani and the Al Qaeda-affiliated jihadist gangs, primarily Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have been carrying out massacres against Alawites, Christians and other faith groups for years. The interim government established in Syria, its so-called leader Julani and these gangs have been raised, armed and trained with the support of Western imperialist powers. Not only the bloodthirsty militants of these gangs, but also all the states that feed them, provide them with logistics, and open up political grounds are responsible for what is happening in the Alawite villages in Syria today. 02:59:00 - 03:58:27 Sevim Yalıncakoğlu: We ask from here; Where is Turkey in these massacres? The press’ presentation of Julani as a “figure of stability” is nothing more than distorting the truth. The HTS government, supported by Turkey and the collaborators of imperialist powers in the region since the beginning, has been turning a blind eye to the perpetrators of these massacres with the support of the murderer HTS and the collaborator AKP. HTS and similar organizations have freely crossed the Turkish borders for years. The “safe zone” policies in Syria and the “leftover Assad rhetoric” are actually an ethnic cleansing plan targeting the Alevis and other minorities. The military and intelligence elements in the region support the actions of these gangs and deepen the disintegration of Syria. The media and international institutions are ignoring these massacres and distorting the truth with the imperialist propaganda machine.