The Association of Cartoonists Commemorates Asaf Koçak and the Victims of the Sivas Massacre on the 33rd Anniversary
The Association of Cartoonists, based in Türkiye, has issued a commemorative statement marking the 33rd anniversary of the Sivas Massacre, honoring its member, cartoonist Asaf Koçak, together with the other victims who lost their lives in the Madımak Hotel on 2 July 1993.
Published under the title “Let Us Not Forget Sivas – To Forget Is Betrayal,” the statement describes Asaf Koçak as an enduring symbol of freedom, solidarity, and the art of cartooning.
The association stated:
“We commemorate our dear friend and member of the Association of Cartoonists, Asaf Koçak, whom we lost in the flames of July 2, together with the other 33 victims, with love, respect, and longing. We do not forget. To forget is betrayal. May they rest in peace.”
As part of the commemoration, the association also shared archival photographs of Asaf Koçak, images from his funeral, and the Asaf Koçak Portrait Caricatures Album, published in his memory.
About the Sivas Massacre
On 2 July 1993, during the Pir Sultan Abdal Cultural Festival in Sivas, Türkiye, the Madımak Hotel, where writers, poets, artists, intellectuals, and festival participants were staying, was surrounded for hours by a large crowd shouting religious extremist slogans. Despite repeated calls for help, the attack was not prevented, and the hotel was eventually set on fire.
The fire claimed the lives of 33 artists, writers, poets, academics, and intellectuals, along with two hotel employees. Among those killed was cartoonist Asaf Koçak, a member of the Association of Cartoonists.
The Sivas Massacre is widely regarded as one of the darkest tragedies in Türkiye’s modern history and as a major attack on freedom of expression, culture, and the arts. Every year on 2 July, cultural institutions, artists, and civil society organizations commemorate the victims and call for preserving the memory of the tragedy.
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