Abdullah Zeydan, elected co-mayor of Van (Wan) with a 55 per cent majority, challenged the revocation of his election victory, questioning the ethical basis for awarding the certificate to the runner-up despite his substantial lead of 130,000 votes.
“Which conscience accepts this?” Zeydan asked, addressing his constituency on Tuesday in Van about the controversial decision to award the election certificate to a rival. He questioned the justice of his right to office being revoked despite winning by 130,000 votes.
Elected with per cent of the vote on 31 March, Zeydan’s eligibility was nullified by the Justice Ministry just before the close of business on 29 March. The local election board subsequently awarded the certificate to the AKP candidate. Zeydan condemned this move as a “complete setup and trap”, highlighting a year-long legal battle to restore his civil rights, which had been previously acknowledged by local courts and unchallenged by prosecutors.
He highlighted that the late notification of his disqualification implied coordination between the board and the AKP to secure the certificate. Zeydan’s call to the community and opposition underlines the potential wider implications of such actions on democratic processes. He directly addressed the AKP candidate, questioning how one could face the people after such injustice.
