According to Kurdistan Press, Alireza Arsalan, Hakan Arsalan's father, referring to the suffering caused by years of conflict in Turkish Kurdistan, emphasized that he does not want the peace process and democratic society to fail.

The Sur district of the city of Amed (Diyarbakir) was one of the areas that witnessed widespread violence and curfews during the 2015-2016 clashes following the declaration of self-rule. Many people lost their lives during the clashes, and two neighborhoods were largely destroyed.

Hakan Arslan was one of those who died during the Sur clashes. The image of his remains being delivered in a box to his father, seven years after his death, has become one of the iconic images of the period.

Recalling that it had been three years since his son’s remains were received, Alireza Arsalan said that Hakan Arsalan died on January 21, 2016, but the family was able to receive his remains seven years later.

Regarding the process of finding and returning his son’s body, he said: “His body was found in 2022 during construction operations, but they would not return it. We went to the prosecutor’s office three times through our lawyer. The police said they had searched the place and there was nothing, while the distance to where the body was found was not even a meter. The police said they had searched the place, but the body was found 70 to 80 centimeters away.”

Arsalan added that he was under pressure before the body was returned, but after it was received, the pressure ended. “When our lawyer informed me, I also informed the police station. After that, they recorded my statement. After digging the grave, I went to Diyarbakir.”

Alireza Arsalan said that the beginning of the peace and democratic society process after Abdullah Öcalan's call of February 27, 2025, has increased his hopes and called for the success of this process.

He emphasized that his greatest desire is to establish peace and said: "We have been burned; no one else will be burned. The people who are in prison have been unjustly imprisoned. Their crime is being Kurdish. I want peace for them too. We want peace; what reason is there to oppose peace? Why shouldn't peace be established?"

Arsalan said that the Kurds are waiting for the government to take steps, but so far no action has been taken. He added that the Dem Party also constantly raises these demands, but no practical steps have been taken.

He also called for the recognition of the Kurdish language and said that the Kurds should be able to live freely and speak their language in parliament.