Turkey’s pro-Kurdish party has announced its intention to hold continuous protests following the Turkish government’s appointment of a trustee to replace elected Hakkari (Colemêrg) mayor Mehmet Sıddık Akış. The Group Deputy Chair of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party Gülistan Kılıç Koçyiğit made the announcement on Monday following an emergency meeting of the party’s Central Executive Committee.
“This trustee appointment is blatantly a political move,” Koçyiğit stated. “Removing an elected official and installing a trustee on the pretext of legal action is a severe blow to democracy.”
Koçyiğit criticised the manipulation of public perception through government propaganda, stating, “Turkey is governed by a party that sees itself above the constitution, holding elections and appointing trustees willy-nilly. However, they underestimate the people’s commitment to democracy.”
Drawing attention to the ongoing state of emergency laws applied to Kurdish regions of Turkey, Koçyiğit said, “In the elections, the Kurdish people rejected the coup mentality and the trustees. The government is now taking revenge for their loss in the 31 March elections by appointing [more] trustees.”
Koçyiğit announced that the DEM Party would begin to hold continuous protests outside City Halls to defend democracy and the people’s will. “We invite all our people, democratic organisations and anyone with a conscience to join us in these protests,” she urged.
The trustee appointment to Hakkari has sparked strong reactions from various political figures. CHP Leader Özgür Özel has condemned the appointment. Expressing his rejection of the trustee appointment via his social media account, he stated that the action disregards the will of the Hakkari people, who voted just two months ago. He called for the immediate withdrawal of the trustee appointment, emphasising the importance of democracy and the will of the people.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) MP Mahmut Tanal criticised the move as a political decision aimed at influencing ongoing judicial processes. “This is not a legal decision. It is a political manoeuvre to affect the judiciary and the trial,” Tanal stated, referring to outstanding charges against Akış.
CHP MP Mehmet Bekaroğlu also condemned the appointment, urging the government to respect legal procedures and not to divide the country. “If the mayor is found guilty, the elected council members should choose a new mayor. Why is this normal procedure not followed for the Kurds?” he asked.
Meanwhile, Akış’s lawyer, Azad Özer, revealed that a new, secret investigation had been launched against his client, with restrictions placed on access to details of the case. “It appears that this investigation is being conducted jointly by the police and the prosecution, and we have been given no information beyond the fact that it exists,” Özer explained.
The trustee appointment in Hakkari has led to widespread protests across several cities, including Istanbul, Diyarbakır (Amed), Bingöl (Çewlig) and Batman (Êlih). Demonstrations are planned throughout the day, with key events at notable locations like Şişhane Square in Istanbul.
