On 30 June, a major protest march from Istanbul to Hakkari (Colemêrg) will start, to demonstrate opposition to the appointment of state trustees in place of elected officials in general, and the recent appointment of a trustee in Hakkari in particular. Participants will walk 196 kilometres during the six-day march organised by pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, with new groups joining along the route.
On 3 June, a state trustee was appointed by the Turkish government to manage Hakkari Municipality in place of the elected Kurdish mayor, prompting the DEM Party to organise sit-ins in Hakkari and Istanbul. The protests will also include weekly events in other city centres, with members of nearby councils gathering in the central urban areas.
After the arrest of its elected leader Mehmet Sıddık Akış Hakkari Municipal Council appointed a deputy to maintain governance, according to the existing laws and regulations upon a position becoming vacant. But the government, in violation of its own laws, appointed their own man as trustee instead.
A delegation from the council, including council members and civil society representatives, will visit Ankara on 27-28 June and take part in a rally in Istanbul on 29 June. They will engage with political parties and civil society organisations to highlight their plight.
The protest march will commence in Istanbul with a substantial send-off and more marchers will join the demonstration in each city it passes through. The route includes major rallies in cities like Kocaeli, Bursa and Izmir, culminating in a mass assembly in Van (Wan) on 3 July before the final leg to Hakkari.
The march aims to draw attention to what the DEM Party describes as the “unjust seizure of local governance”, reinforcing their commitment to democratic principles and local autonomy.
