The Turkish Medical Association (TTB) has published a statement on the detention of elected mayors.
In its statement, the TTB said that the appointment of government trustees to municipalities was “a sign that both the people’s right to vote and stand for election is being deliberately and constantly being disregarded, and that the judiciary system is being weaponized in line with political interests”.
The statement added, “We remind once again that it is impossible to work towards health or science without a democratic and peaceful environment; and call upon the political authority to respect the right to vote and stand for election, and the will of the people”.
Government trustees appointed to 8 municipalities
On 13 January 2025, People’s Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) Mersin Province Akdeniz District Co-Mayors Hoşyar Sarıyıldız and Nuriye Arslan were arrested alongside three municipal assembly members, and a government trustee was appointed to the municipality by a decree of the Interior Ministry.
On the same day, Rıza Akpolat, Mayor of Beşiktaş District in Istanbul from the Republican People’s Party (CHP) was also detained.
Since the 31 March 2024 local elections, government trustees have been appointed to 5 DEM Party and 2 CHP municipalities.
DEM Party’s Hakkari Mayor Mehmet Sıddık Akış was dismissed from this position on 3 June, and Hakkari Governor Ali Çelik was appointed as government trustee in his place.
On 30 October, CHP’s Esenyurt District Mayor Ahmet Özer was also dismissed. Istanbul Deputy Governor Can Aksoy was appointed as government trustee in Özer’s place.
Then, on 4 November, Mardin Metropolitan Mayor Ahmet Türk, Batman Mayor Gülistan Sönük and Şanlıurfa Province Halfeti District Mayor Mehmet Karayılan were dismissed from their positions. In place of Türk, Mardin Governor Tuncay Akkoyun, in place of Sönük, Batman Governor Ekrem Canalp, and in place of Karayılan, Halfeti District Governor Hakan Başoğlu were appointed as government trustees.
On 22 November, by decree of the Interior Ministry, Dersim Mayor Cevdet Konak from DEM Party and Ovacık Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül from the CHP were dismissed from duty. In Konak’s place, Tunceli Governor Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu and in Sarıgül’s place Ovacık District Governor Hüseyin Şamil Sözen were appointed as government trustees.
(EC/NHRD)
