The saga of Abdullah Zeydan’s path to becoming the mayor of Van (Wan) has taken another turn, as the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) has initiated an investigation into the Diyarbakır 5th Heavy Penal Court’s decision. This ruling, made before the elections, reinstated Zeydan’s electoral rights, enabling him to run for and win the position of mayor for the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party in Van.
The Turkish government later challenged his candidacy, alleging the absence of a final decision document—a claim considered legally unfounded. Subsequently, the Van Provincial Election Board, yielding to pressure, nullified Zeydan’s victory and awarded the mandate to the runner-up from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Two days of protests and the DEM Party’s objection to this decision led to the High Electoral Council’s (YSK) intervention, which reversed the Van board’s decision, reaffirming Zeydan’s victory based on the legal standing provided by the Diyarbakır court’s ruling.
Now the Turkish government, through the HSYK, is seemingly attempting to navigate through legal channels for potential intervention in the electoral outcomes, with the Council starting a probe into the initial court decision to restore Zeydan’s political rights before the elections.