Early on Monday, the Turkish Interior Ministry appointed trustees to the municipalities of Mardin (Mêrdîn), Batman (Êlih) and Halfeti (Xelfetî), removing elected mayors from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party. The move has sparked strong criticism from the opposition, which accuses the government of undermining democratic processes in Kurdish-majority areas.
The ministry cited ongoing legal cases against the mayors as the reason for appointing the trustees. Among them was Mardin Co-Mayor Ahmet Türk, who was removed on a series of legal charges, including membership of a terrorist organisation. However, details have emerged to suggest the allegations are misleading.
Although the ministry referred to a 10-year prison sentence handed down to Türk in the so-called ‘Kobani case‘, his legal team stated that the decision was still under appeal at the Supreme Court. It was also revealed that an ongoing case in Ankara has been repeatedly delayed, and that a Mardin-based investigation cited by the ministry was dismissed on the basis of lack of grounds for prosecution in July 2024.
Türk, a veteran Kurdish politician removed twice previously by the board of trustees, denounced the latest appointment. His legal team claims that the government’s actions are politically motivated, with one of his lawyers, Erdal Kuzu, stating that the charges against Türk should in any case have been dismissed long ago.
The ministry’s decision, announced in the early hours of the morning, follows a pattern of similar trustee appointments in Kurdish-majority municipalities in recent years, a move widely condemned by the opposition.
🔴 Mardin Büyükşehir Belediyesi’ne kayyım
Yurttaşlar, ablukaya alınan belediye binasına girmeye çalışıyor. pic.twitter.com/IVQqyYaxdo
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Having served several terms in office only to be repeatedly removed and replaced by state-appointed trustees, Türk continues to rally his supporters, declaring: ‘We will not back down in our struggle for democracy, peace and freedom.”
