Citizens in Turkey are actively protesting the appointment of a government trustee to Kurdish-majority Hakkari (Colemêrg) Municipality in replacement for the deposed elected mayor, with daily vigils held at Şişhane Square in Istanbul demanding justice and the upholding of democratic principles. The protesters, many wearing T-shirts with the slogan “Trustees Out”, are calling for an end to what they see an unjust intervention into Kurdish self-governance.
The “Justice Vigil” began on Saturday in the Kadıköy district of the city, marked by powerful speeches and the participation of various political and democratic community organisations. The organisers called for the vigils to continue on a daily basis at Şişhane Square on the other side of the Bosphorus.
Sezai Temelli, Deputy Group Chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, described the trustee policy as a coup d’état, stating, “There has been isolation in this country for 25 years. By applying isolation in İmralı, they have created a state of exceptional law. And through this they have engineered conspiracy trials.” He emphasised the need for solidarity against what he terms “palace law” (referring to decrees issued from the Presidential palace), saying the the choice is between “a democratic republic or a military republic.”
Following Temelli’s speech, Hüseyin Tosu from the Confederation of Public Workers’ Unions read out a statement condemning the erosion of the democratic will of the people through the imposition of the trustees, particularly following the local election defeats of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). “The trustee regime is null and void in the eyes of the people,” he declared.
The protests at Şişhane Square are set to continue from 7pm to 10pm daily until Hakkari’s trustee appointment is revoked, with organisers calling for a broader coalition against the government’s actions and advocating for unity and resistance across diverse groups of society.