Deniz and his comrades commemorated in Dolmabahçe: "We Stand Against NATO, on the Path of the Denizs"

The revolutionary leaders of the Turkish '68 youth movement—Deniz Gezmiş, Yusuf Aslan, and Hüseyin İnan—were commemorated in Istanbul on the 54th anniversary of their executions.

Members of SOL Genç (Left Youth, the youth wing of the left-wing SOL Party), who gathered in front of the Atatürk Cultural Centre (AKM) in Taksim, marched with slogans to Dolmabahçe, the site where the "Three Saplings" (A metaphorical term for the three executed revolutionaries) famously drove the soldiers of the 6th Fleet (The United States Sixth Fleet) into the sea. In the press statement following the march, it was expressed that the executions carried out 54 years ago aimed to suppress revolutionary opposition, yet the struggle continues in the streets today.

"THEIR LEGACY LIVES ON IN THE REVOLUTIONARY STRUGGLE"

The statement noted that Deniz Gezmiş and his comrades shielded the people of these lands with their own bodies, including the following remarks:

"Today, we are here for three revolutionaries who set out with the hope of an equal, free, and fully independent country. Those who murdered them, those who voted for the execution of the three saplings, and those who turned the 6th Fleet into their qibla have taken their place in the dustbin of history. However, the honourable struggle that the 'Denizs' waged for the bright future of this country still echoes in the squares today. Our goal is an equal, free, democratic, and fully independent Turkey."

IMPERIALIST SIEGE AND THE NATO SUMMIT

The statement further drew attention to the fact that every corner of Turkey is surrounded by US and NATO bases, stating that all public assets have been offered up to imperialist monopolies.

Reacting strongly to the NATO Summit planned to be held in Turkey in 2026, the statement declared the will to "expel NATO from our lands." In the section targeting the political administration's Middle East policy, it was argued that the current regime is a partner to the imperialist thuggery that has turned the region into a bloodbath, and that the Middle East is being surrendered to Israeli Zionism and radical groups. Finally, it was emphasised that concepts such as the "return to the Ottoman Millet System" (governance based on religious identity) and "Benevolent Monarchies," voiced by US diplomats, are clear indicators of the dark swamp into which the country is being dragged.

"YANKEE GO HOME!"

The statement concluded with the revolutionary youth’s determination to struggle against the palace regime and its darkness: "Together, we will build the independent country for which the Denizs, Mahirs (Mahir Çayan), and İbrahims (İbrahim Kaypakkaya) fought. Let the imperialists and their collaborators not forget the 6th Fleet! Yankee go home, this country is ours!"

The full text of the statement is as follows:

"Today, we are here for three revolutionaries who set out with the hope of an equal, free, and fully independent country. On the 54th anniversary of their execution, we remember Deniz Gezmiş, Hüseyin İnan, and Yusuf Aslan with longing, and we bow respectfully before their struggle.

More than half a century has passed since the murder of these three honourable revolutionaries. However, their struggle for a fully independent Turkey continues to echo today in the streets, on campuses, and in the squares.

They shielded their bodies against the exploitation of the impoverished people of these lands, the handing over of our country to imperialism, fascism, and the order of exploitation, and they were murdered. Those who murdered them, those who voted for the execution of the three saplings, those who attacked the patriotic and democratic youth of this country to suppress the rising revolutionary opposition, and those who made the 6th Fleet their qibla have taken their place in the dustbin of history. Yet, the revolutionaries who fought for the bright future of this country and were murdered for this cause, the Denizs continue to live in our struggle. On the 54th anniversary of their being torn from life, we cry out once more: On the path of the revolutionaries fighting for independence; our goal is an equal, free, democratic, and fully independent Turkey!

For years, our country has been made dependent on imperialism through right-wing governments. The fascist massacres under US guidance were carried out for this reason; the coups were staged for this reason. This dependency has been deepened during the twenty-year rule of the AKP, which came to power with US support.

Every corner of our country has been filled with US and NATO military bases. All our public assets have been offered to imperialist monopolies. This Political Islamist fascist regime, established by liquidating all the progressive gains of the Republic, has been supported by imperialism.

And today, the current representatives of those who established the March 12 fascism by order of US imperialism to suppress the independence struggle rising half a century ago, are dragging our country into darkness in line with the needs of US imperialism. Those who declare themselves co-chairs of the Greater Middle East Project, those who dream of a country without elections or opposition, wish to establish a new order in our country based on ethnic and sectarian identities. The words of the colonial heir and US diplomat Tom Barrack regarding a 'return to the Ottoman Millet System' and 'Benevolent Monarchies' show us the swamp into which US imperialism wishes to drag our country.

The palace regime, which constantly emphasises its friendship with the imperialist thug Trump and has gifted hundreds of planes to the US to meet with him, is a partner in this imperialist thuggery that has turned the Middle East into a bloodbath. US imperialism, which wants to surrender the Middle East to Israeli Zionism and the remnants of Al-Qaeda, uses the bases in our country and makes the palace regime do its bidding. The 2026 Summit of the murderer NATO is intended to be held in our country.

We will not surrender to imperialist thuggery and its collaborators!

We will continue to grow the struggle wherever we stand against the murderer NATO and its collaborators!

We will fight together with all revolutionary, democratic, and patriotic youth sections against the palace regime, which represents the interests of US imperialism, and its darkness!

We will send away the Political Islamist one-man regime and expel NATO from our lands!

Together, we will build the equal, free, democratic, and fully independent country for which Denizs, the Mahirs, and the İbrahims fought!

Down with US Imperialism!

Long live a Fully Independent Turkey!

Yankee go home, this country is ours!"

Note: This article is translated from the original article titled "Üç Fidan" Dolmabahçe'de anıldı: "NATO'nun karşısında, Denizlerin yolundayız", published in BirGün newspaper on May 7, 2026.