BySenate Law & Justice (originally sponsored by Senators Saldaña, Orwall, Alvarado, Dhingra, Frame, Hasegawa, Lovelett, Nobles, Slatter, Stanford, Trudeau, Valdez, and C. Wilson)

TO THE HONORABLE DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, AND TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND TO THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED, AND TO THE UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE, AND TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE, AND TO THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE:

We, your Memorialists, the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Washington, in legislative session assembled, respectfully represent and petition as follows:

WHEREAS, Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi was raised from the age of one in Seattle, Washington, where she attended West Seattle High School as well as the Ida B. Wells School for Social Justice, an alternative Seattle Public Schools college preparatory program at the University of Washington campus; and

WHEREAS, Eygi possessed a profound sense of peace and justice which cultivated her enduring personal commitment to social and environmental activism as a tireless community leader who organized peaceful protests including a 2016 mass student walkout against xenophobia and for religious freedom in Seattle, who stood in solidarity with indigenous, displaced, and marginalized communities across the country, including participating in the Dakota Access Pipeline protests, who spent time supporting the elderly and individuals with disabilities, and who worked as a behavioral technician to serve children on the autism spectrum and their families; and

WHEREAS, Eygi was equally enthusiastic and energetic about engaging in global movements for peace and sustainability, devoting herself to the mutual advancement of climate justice and human rights through her understanding of the interdependence of healthy ecosystems and thriving societies whether supporting physical therapy and eco-building projects in Myanmar, participating in coral reef restoration in Australia, or transforming recycled plastics into usable fuel in Indonesia; and

WHEREAS, Eygi was an advocate for immigrant and refugee rights and supported immigration justice for members of the broader Seattle community, assisting them with resettlement and paperwork; and

WHEREAS, Eygi's tireless advocacy also extended to supporting displaced communities, including organizing an art market fundraiser in Seattle, raising over $47,000 for medical aid for children in Gaza; and

WHEREAS, Eygi graduated in June 2024 from the University of Washington School of Psychology, with plans to pursue a Ph.D. in anthropology to help underserved American immigrant communities by conducting research and providing clinical counseling; and

WHEREAS, Eygi advocated for the rights of Palestinian students, faculty, and families while pursuing her degree at the University of Washington, and worked with the administration to create opportunities for Palestinians affected by the devastation in Gaza, including scholarships, and a Palestine Studies Center; and

WHEREAS, Eygi's strong sense of commitment to human rights compelled her to travel to the West Bank in September 2024 as a peaceful human rights observer; and

WHEREAS, Eygi was tragically killed at the age of 26 on September 6, 2024, in the West Bank, when, according to eye witnesses, she was unprovokedly shot by an Israeli military sniper while bravely and peacefully observing the illegal displacement of Palestinians from their homes to make way for an Israeli settlement; and

WHEREAS, In honor of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi as a human rights advocate, community organizer, and university alumna, the University of Washington Middle East Center established a public lecture series in her name to foster public education, dialogue, and civic engagement on issues of international human rights, global peace, and environmental sustainability; and

WHEREAS, Rachel Corrie of Olympia, another Washingtonian human rights activist, traveled to the Gaza Strip in 2003 as part of a human rights mission and was tragically killed in Rafah on March 16, 2003, when she was fatally crushed by an Israeli military bulldozer operated by two Israeli soldiers, as she stood to prevent the demolition of a Palestinian family's home, an act of profound bravery and selflessness; and

WHEREAS, Rachel Corrie's family never achieved accountability for her killing neither through United States government diplomatic channels, nor in Israeli courts, which ruled that the Israeli military bore no responsibility for Rachel's killing, a ruling widely criticized by human rights organizations; and

WHEREAS, The families of Rachel Corrie and Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi continue the fight for justice and accountability for Ayşenur together; and

WHEREAS, Justice and accountability are imperative for both Rachel and Ayşenur, as well as for all United States citizens killed abroad; and

WHEREAS, Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi and Rachel Corrie's work exemplifies the highest ideals of courage, compassion, and an unyielding dedication to creating a more just, peaceful, and sustainable world, particularly for communities most impacted by climate change and injustice; and

WHEREAS, Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi and Rachel Corrie have become international symbols of solidarity and human rights across the globe; and

WHEREAS, Justice and accountability for the killing of Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi and other United States citizens abroad require the full attention of the United States government, including a transparent, thorough, and independent investigation led by the United States into her death at the hands of Israeli military forces;

NOW, THEREFORE, Your Memorialists respectfully request that the United States open a transparent, thorough, and independent investigation into the killing of Eygi by Israeli military forces, to ensure justice and accountability for Ayşenur Ezgi Eygi and all United States citizens killed at the hands of a foreign government.

BE IT RESOLVED, That copies of this Memorial be immediately transmitted to the Honorable Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, the United States Secretary of State, the United States Department of State, the United States Department of Justice, the President of the United States Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and to the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled.