Turkey arrests 253 protesters following removal of Kurdish mayors

Nov. 11, 2024

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Turkey's Interior Ministry announced early Monday that 253 people have been arrested during protests against the recent appointment of trustees to replace elected Kurdish mayors in Mardin, Batman, and Halfeti municipalities.

According to the ministry's statement, the arrests were made following confrontations between protesters and security forces.

Of the 253 detainees, 33 have been formally imprisoned on charges of, “Promoting a terrorist organization; violating Law No. 2911 on protests and demonstrations; and resisting security forces.”

The protests erupted after the Interior Ministry's decision on Monday, Nov. 4, to remove the elected mayors of Mardin, Batman, and Halfeti municipalities in Turkey's Kurdish-majority regions, replacing them with government-appointed trustees.

Ahmad Turk, the dismissed mayor of Mardin, previously told Kurdistan24 that the decision was "unjust and against democratic values," emphasizing that "Turkey's Interior Ministry has not respected the will of the Kurdish people, and we will oppose this in every way possible."

The removal of elected Kurdish mayors and their replacement with government-appointed trustees has been a recurring issue in Turkey's Kurdish-majority regions. The practice, which began several years ago, has been criticized by international organizations and human rights groups as undermining local democracy.

The Democratic Peoples' Party (DEM Party), which won these municipalities in local elections, has consistently faced similar challenges, with many of its elected officials being removed from office and replaced with state-appointed trustees.

These actions have often led to protests and tensions in the affected regions, reflecting ongoing disputes over Kurdish political representation in Turkey.