content tagged with trustees

Two mayors removed in Kurdish-populated Dersim city, sparking protests

Two mayors removed in Kurdish-populated Dersim city, sparking protests

Hundreds of people protesting the takeover of the municipalities clash with the police.

22 November 2024

Detainees forced to listen to Turkish nationalist song during trustee protests, says rights group

Detainees forced to listen to Turkish nationalist song during trustee protests, says rights group

Hundreds of people have been detained in protests against the government’s takeover of pro-Kurdish municipalities in early November.

22 November 2024

Two opposition mayors sentenced to prison on ‘terror’ charges in Dersim

Two opposition mayors sentenced to prison on ‘terror’ charges in Dersim

The mayors may be suspended from office and replaced with trustees following the conviction.

20 November 2024

Mistreatment at Batman protests following pro-Kurdish mayor’s removal

Mistreatment at Batman protests following pro-Kurdish mayor’s removal

Dozens of people have been detained over the past week during the protests.

11 November 2024

DEM co-leader faces investigation over critical remarks on municipal takeovers

DEM co-leader faces investigation over critical remarks on municipal takeovers

Tuncer Bakırhan had referenced Kurdish insurgencies in the early years of the republic and in the insurgency led by the PKK in a speech criticizing the replacement of DEM mayors.

8 November 2024

‘Trustee policies are degrading the ruling power, not the Kurdish movement’

‘Trustee policies are degrading the ruling power, not the Kurdish movement’

Kurdish women politicians reflect on the takeover of municipalities in Kurdish cities.

7 November 2024 Evrim Deniz

Court rejects appeal of arrested Esenyurt mayor Ahmet Özer, trustee appointment upheld

Court rejects appeal of arrested Esenyurt mayor Ahmet Özer, trustee appointment upheld

Özer’s lawyers argued in a 40-page petition that the “PKK membership” allegation was unfounded, emphasizing that he has served as a public figure for nearly 40 years.

7 November 2024

Gallery: Dozens detained in ‘trustee’ protests amid violent police response

Gallery: Dozens detained in ‘trustee’ protests amid violent police response

Protests continued throughout the night in Batman and Mardin, as well as İstanbul.

5 November 2024

Turkey’s ruling party signals more municipal takeovers

Turkey’s ruling party signals more municipal takeovers

Three mayors from the pro-Kurdish DEM Party were replaced with government-appointed trustees today.

4 November 2024

Tuğçe Yılmaz

‘You can’t discuss peace while appointing trustees,” says dismissed Kurdish mayor

‘You can’t discuss peace while appointing trustees,” says dismissed Kurdish mayor

Co-mayor Saniye Bayram emphasized Halfeti’s symbolic importance despite being the smallest district in Urfa.

4 November 2024 Tuğçe Yılmaz

Protests in Kurdish cities after removal of mayors

Protests in Kurdish cities after removal of mayors

DEM Party supporters protested the replacemrnt of the mayors in Batman, Mardin and Urfa.

4 November 2024 Evrim Deniz

Government removes pro-Kurdish mayors in Mardin, Batman, Urfa

Government removes pro-Kurdish mayors in Mardin, Batman, Urfa

The move follows the recent replacement of an İstanbul district mayor elected through CHP-DEM cooperation. The pro-Kurdish DEM has now lost three of the 11 cities it won in the March elections.

4 November 2024

Thousands protest opposition municipality's takeover in İstanbul

Thousands protest opposition municipality's takeover in İstanbul

Leaders of the CHP and the pro-Kurdish DEM held a rally in the Esenyurt district in response to Mayor Ahmet Özer's arrest o dubious "terrorism" charges and suspension from duty.

31 October 2024 Ruken Tuncel

DEM Party seeks suspension of municipal takeover in Hakkari

DEM Party seeks suspension of municipal takeover in Hakkari

The trustee appointments aim to eliminate the pro-Kurdish party from the political scene and undermine the will of its voters, the party asserts.

DEM members marching from İstanbul to Hakkari to protest removal of mayor

DEM members marching from İstanbul to Hakkari to protest removal of mayor

The government replaced the Hakkari co-mayor two months after the elections, citing a ‘terrorism’ investigation against him, in continuation of the ‘trustee policies.’

Women’s institutions in Kurdish cities ‘turned into men’s coffee houses’ under trustee regime

Women’s institutions in Kurdish cities ‘turned into men’s coffee houses’ under trustee regime

A report based on observations in Diyarbakır and Batman reveals the impact of government takeover of municipalities on women-focused institutions.

Pro-Kurdish mayor arrested and replaced in Hakkari province

Pro-Kurdish mayor arrested and replaced in Hakkari province

Last night, the Hakkari Municipality in southeastern Turkey was raided by police, leading to the detention of co-mayor Mehmet Sıddık Akış and the subsequent appointment of a government-appointed trustee.

Kurdish politician Sara Kaya released after 7 years in prison

Kurdish politician Sara Kaya released after 7 years in prison

Kaya was incarcerated while she was serving as a district mayor in Mardin.

Over 75% of voters in Kurdish cities against replacement of mayors

Over 75% of voters in Kurdish cities against replacement of mayors

The pro-Kurdish DEM Party is seeking to win back the local administrations in the upcoming local elections in March 2024.

19 December 2023

HEDEP leader challenges 'trustees' to run for mayor

HEDEP leader challenges 'trustees' to run for mayor

“In the upcoming elections, we will bury this trustee system in the ballot box. We will send the trustee back to their hometown, to the Palace," said Bakırhan.

1 December 2023

'Bîrgeh' conveys the memory of institutions closed by State of Emergency practices

'Bîrgeh' conveys the memory of institutions closed by State of Emergency practices

Institutions with Kurdish and dissident identities that were closed through state of emergency practices are documented in the book titled "Bîrgeh Memory Almanac". The publication includes 246 civil society organizations and 42 media outlets, with a focus on those based in Diyarbakır.

1 December 2023 Ferid Demirel

Investigation permission not granted for trustees of four municipalities in Diyarbakır

Investigation permission not granted for trustees of four municipalities in Diyarbakır

Diyarbakır Chamber of Architects filed an objection at the Council of State against the Ministry's letter stating that no action would be taken regarding the complaints in connection with "profit-oriented unauthorized construction" against the trustees appointed to replace elected mayors in four districts of Diyarbakır.

1 November 2023 İnanç Yıldız

What Kılıçdaroğlu-Özdağ deal implies about removal of elected mayors in Kurdish cities

What Kılıçdaroğlu-Özdağ deal implies about removal of elected mayors in Kurdish cities

The government has replaced all but a few of the HDP mayors in Kurdish-majority regions since the 2019 local election. The Kılıçdaroğlu-Özdağ protocol pledges to maintain this practice, but exclusively for individuals with "proven connections to terrorism."

24 May 2023 Volga Kuşçuoğlu

Authorities seize aid intended for earthquake victims in epicenter area

FEBRUARY 6 EARTHQUAKES

Authorities seize aid intended for earthquake victims in epicenter area

The authorities in Pazarcık reportedly emptied a truck full of aid materials, including propane cylinders. The relief efforts were organized by a local association and the HDP.

16 February 2023 Tuğçe Yılmaz

Newala Qesaba: Villas being built on buried pain

Newala Qesaba: Villas being built on buried pain

Newala Qesaba is known as a place where many Armenians killed in 1915 were buried in mass graves. Besides, many Kurds killed in armed conflicts or unidentified murders are also believed to be buried in this area.

Palm trees planted by 'trustee' mayor in Diyarbakır dry up due to unsuitable climate

Palm trees planted by 'trustee' mayor in Diyarbakır dry up due to unsuitable climate

The trustee administration had planted about 200 palms in the arid city of Diyarbakır in Turkey's southeast. Almost all of the trees are dried up now.

Constitutional Court finds dismissed co-mayors’ applications ‘inadmissible’

Constitutional Court finds dismissed co-mayors’ applications ‘inadmissible’

Turkey’s top court has finalized the application of former co-mayors of Diyarbakır’s Sur and Hani who were replaced by state-appointed trustees: “The alleged violation of the right to a fair trial is manifestly ill-founded”.

Council of Europe finds appointment of trustees in Turkey 'contrary to international law'

Council of Europe finds appointment of trustees in Turkey 'contrary to international law'

In a recent report, the Council of Europe’s Congress of Local and Regional Authorities has found the trustees appointed by the AKP government to replace the elected HDP co-mayors to be “against the international law”.

‘Economic crisis fails to explain the situation in Turkey, this is a collapse’

HDP’S SANCAR

‘Economic crisis fails to explain the situation in Turkey, this is a collapse’

HDP Co-Chair Mithat Sancar talked about the economy, ill prisoners, trustees and snap elections in Turkey in his speech at the HDP weekly group meeting.

12 January 2022

Court of Cassation upholds former Van co-mayor's prison sentence for 'terrorism'

Court of Cassation upholds former Van co-mayor's prison sentence for 'terrorism'

Bekir Kaya was sentenced to 8 years and 3 months in prison for various charges related to "terrorism."

27 December 2021

Five journalists acquitted in 'trustee protests' case in Mardin

Five journalists acquitted in 'trustee protests' case in Mardin

As people were protesting the dismissal of the elected mayor, five journalists following the events had been detained and filed a criminal case against.

20 October 2021

Mardin's former 'trustee mayor' under investigation for massive corruption

Mardin's former 'trustee mayor' under investigation for massive corruption

According to civil inspectors, the government-appointed municipal administration made payments for works that were never done and registered pre-existing buildings as newly constructed.

14 September 2021

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