Ahmet Türk Arrested

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Relieved of Mardin Co-Mayorship, Ahmet Türk has been arrested.

Ahmet Türk was detained on November 21 after relieved of Mardin Co-Mayorship post by the Ministry of Interior on November 17.

Taken to courthouse yesterday (November 24), Türk was sent to Criminal Judgeship of Peace for arrest. The judgeship ruled arrest of Türk.

41 Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Co-Mayors are under arrest as of November 24.

About Ahmet Türk

Ahmet Türk was born in Mardin in 1942. His elder brother, deputy Abdürrahim Türk was murdered in 1954. He was elected Mardin MP from Democratic Party (DEP) in 1973, then resigned and joined the Republican People’s Party (CHP).

He was arrested in the wake of September 12, 1980 coup. He went through heavy tortures in Diyarbakır Prison No.5.

In the following years, he took office in various left parties. He became founding member of the People’s Labor Party (HEP). HEP MPs were discharged from the Social Democratic Populist Party (SHP) and the HEP was closed by order of the Constitutional Party on July 14, 1993.

Parliamentary immunity of DEP MPs was lifted on March 2, 1994 and they were arrested. Ahmet Türk was sentenced to 2 years in prison.

He continued his political career in People’s Democratic Party (HADEP) and Democratic People Party (DEHAP).

He returned to politics in 20015 with the establishment of Democratic Society Party (DTP). He was elected co-chair of the party with Aysel Tuğluk.

He entered parliament as independent Mardin MP in July 22, 2007 elections.

On January 3, 2013, Ahmet Türk and Ayla Ata started to meet with the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan.

He was elected Mardin Metropolitan Mayor on March 30, 2014.

A lawsuit was filed against Türk in January 2016 demanding jail term from 7 to 18 years on charges of “being a member to an armed organization”, “propagandizing for armed terror organization”, “opposing Law on Rally and Demonstration”.

Türk was detained on November 21 after relieved of Mardin Co-Mayorship post by the Ministry of Interior on November 17. (ÇT/TK)