Turkish gov’t appoints trustees to oust Tunceli and Ovacık mayors
The Turkish government has once again appointed trustees to opposition-run municipalities, this time to replace the mayors of DEM Party’s Tunceli province and CHP’s Ovacık district. Both mayors recently received prison sentences over alleged “terrorism” charges. The Tunceli governor has banned protests in the province, which includes Ovacık district, for 10 days.
Duygu Kıt / DUVAR
Turkey’s Interior Ministry appointed trustees to two municipalities led by opposition parties in the eastern Tunceli province on Nov. 22.
The ministry undemocratically replaced Tunceli province mayor Cevdet Konak, from the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party, and Ovacık district mayor Mustafa Sarıgül, from the Republican People’s Party (CHP), on the grounds of “terrorism investigations.”
A court sentenced both mayors to six years and three months in prison over "terrorism" charges this week. The appeal process is still ongoing.
Both mayors were recently elected in the March 31, 2024 local elections, as Konak received 40.2% of the votes and Sarıgül 33.6%.
Following the announcement, locals rushed to the municipalities to protest the undemocratic move and faced the police’s response.
Some citizens were detained as the police barricaded the municipality buildings.
“This is the photo of fascism. This is the picture of the AKP-MHP government. This is the usurpation of will,” Konak said after the move.
“(The police) kicked us out of our homes (municipality building) without allowing us to take any of our belongings. They do not respect any value judgment of the people. They set up barricades as if so many people are going to loot their own homes and their workplaces,” Sarıgül said.
Meanwhile, the Tunceli Governor’s Office announced a 10-day protest in the province, which includes Ovacık district as well.
Before the move, the government recently appointed four trustee mayors to oust three DEM Party mayors and one CHP mayor in a new wave of government’s crackdown on opposition municipalities.
The municipalities are one of the key financial resources in Turkey, used by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) for its clientelist policies.
Parties protest the decision
In a statement, the DEM Party called on “all forces of democracy to stand together against this coup and usurpation of will.”
CHP leader Özgür Özel said they “will resist this lawlessness as we do all attacks against elected mayors.”
He said they will hold a meeting with their 414 mayors in Turkey “to confront the government's attacks on municipalities all together.
On Nov. 23, the political parties held a march in the Tunceli province. Politicians from the DEM Party, CHP, the Labour Party (EMEP), the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Socialist Party of the Oppressed (ESP) joined the march.
(English version by Alperen Şen)