Diyarbakır Bar Association Chair: Mayors' Removal From Office a Coup Against Judiciary

Click to read the article in Turkish

Politicians and lawyers have been reacting to the ousting of the mayors of Diyarbakır, Mardin and Van by the Ministry of Interior on the grounds that an investigation is being carried out.

Speaking to Bianet, the head of the Diyarbakir Bar Association, Cihan Aydın, described the decision as a coup against democracy.

CLICK - Joint Reaction Against Dismissal of HDP Mayors

Noting that local elections were held just four months ago, he said the oustings are illegal. Aydin continued:

"The mayoral candidates entered the local elections with the approval of the Supreme Election Council (YSK). There were lawsuits filed against the mayors at the time. Their legal status is the same as that day. That hasn't changed.

"Given that the YSK is a high court, this is actually a coup against the judiciary. We cannot be expected to approve that under any circumstances. The decision is also against international law. These candidates entered the election and successfully completed that election.

"This decision should be abandoned as soon as possible. Elected mayors must be returned to office. Otherwise, Turkey will have severed its only link with democracy.

CLICK - Diyarbakır's Ousted Mayor: 'Democratic Will is Executed'

"We also witnessed such practices during the state of emergency period. At the time we described it as a coup against the will of the people, and now we characterize it as such, but it has no effect on the will of the people. Before the election, the public did not succumb to Erdoğan's threat, 'We appoint our trustees again.'

"It was election propaganda. We viewed Erdogan's rhetoric as an election argument. The public did not succumb to these threats, they made their choice. We hope that we hope that this illegality will be abandoned as soon as possible. In absolute terms, the decision must be taken back.

"As the Diyarbakır Bar Association, We will announce our action plan against the events after the meeting of the board of directors. We will have objections."(HA/VK)