HDP's Kızıltepe District Co-Mayor Nilüfer Elik Yılmaz Arrested

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Taken into custody on December 12, Nilüfer Elik Yılmaz, the dismissed Kızıltepe Co-Mayor in Mardin, has been arrested.

Brought to Mardin Courthouse yesterday (December 15), Yılmaz deposed to the prosecutor's office, which then referred her to the Mardin 2nd Judgeship of Peace and requested her arrest.

As reported by Mezopotamya Agency (MA), the court has ruled that Nilüfer Elik Yılmaz shall be arrested on the ground of her activities at the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and statements of five anonymous witnesses. The court has reportedly ruled for her arrest as "the judicial control measures would not suffice and a strong criminal nature has arisen."

Yılmaz has been sent to the Mardin Type E Closed Prison.

About Nilüfer Elik Yılmaz

Dismissed Co-Mayor of Kızıltepe in Mardin.

She was born in Mardin in 1962. She completed her primary, secondary and high-school education in Kızıltepe. She started studying at the Department of Economics at Anadolu University in Eskişehir; however, she could not continue her education for various reasons.

She took active part in the activities of the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) women's assembly and the disciplinary council of the BDP organization in Mardin. In the last local elections on March 31, 2019, she was elected the Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) Kızıltepe District Co-Mayor.

Trustees appointed to 28 municipalities

The Ministry of Interior has replaced the co-mayors of 28 HDP municipalities with trustees on the grounds of "terrorism-related charges against them" since the local elections in March:

• Diyarbakır Metropolitan Co-Mayor Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı
• Mardin Metropolitan Co-Mayor Ahmet Türk
• Van Metropolitan Co-Mayor Bedia Özgökçe Ertan
• Hakkari Co-Mayor Cihan Karaman
• Yüksekova Co-Mayor Remziye Yaşar
• Nusaybin Co-Mayor Semire Nergiz
• Kulp Co-Mayor Mehmet Fatih Taş
• Kayapınar Co-Mayor Keziban Yılmaz
• Bismil Co-Mayor Gülcan Özer
• Kocaköy Co-Mayor Rojda Nazlıer
• Erciş Co-Mayor Yıldız Çetin
• Karayazı Co-Mayor Melike Göksu
• Cizre Co-Mayor Mehmet Zırığ
• Saray Co-Mayor Caziye Duman
• Kızıltepe Co-Mayor Nilüfer Elik Yılmaz
• Yenişehir Co-Mayor Belgin Diken
• Hazro Co-Mayor Ahmet Çevik
• İdil Co-Mayor Songül Erden
• Akpazar Co-Mayor Orhan Çelebi
• İpekyolu Co-Mayor Azim Yacan
• Savur Co-Mayor Gülistan Öncü
• Mazıdağı Co-Mayor Nalan Özaydın
• Derik Co-Mayor Mülkiye Esmez
• Suruç Co-Mayor Hatice Çevik

Arrests in 6 municipalities

Of the dismissed HDP Co-Mayors, the following have been arrested:

Muradiye Co-Mayor Yılmaz Şalan and Özalp Co-Mayors Dilan Örenci and Yakup Almaç, Suruç Co-Mayor Hatice Çevik, İpekyolu Co-Mayors Azim Yacan and Şehzade Kurt, Diyarbakır Metropolitan Co-Mayor Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı and Kızıltepe Co-Mayor Nilüfer Elik Yılmaz. (TP/SD)