Trustee Appointed to Akdeniz Municipality Following Arrest of Pro-Kurdish Co-Mayors

The Pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party's Akdeniz Municipality Co-Mayors, Nuriye Arslan and Hoşyar Sarıyıldız, were arrested on Jan. 13 alongside Deputy Mayor Özgür Çağlar and council members Neslihan Oruç and Hikmet Bakırhan. The charges included “making propaganda for an illegal organization, membership in an armed organization, and violation of the Law on Prevention of Financing of Terrorism.” The government subsequently appointed Akdeniz District Governor Zeyit Şener as a trustee to replace the municipality's elected officials.

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Allegations and Accusations

The arrested officials, who had served for 10 months, were accused of:

• Protesting previous trustee appointments.
• Purchasing stationery through open tenders.
• Hiring personnel allegedly under the influence of a terrorist organization, despite a hiring freeze.

Authorities claimed the individuals had ties to the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

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Protests Erupt in Akdeniz

The trustee appointment sparked widespread protests in the district. Members of the DEM Party, as well as politicians from the Republican People's Party (CHP), Workers’ Party of Turkey (TİP), and Labor Party (EMEP), joined demonstrations condemning the arrests. Police intervened in a protest march towards the municipality building, detaining at least five demonstrators.

• Water cannons and tear gas were deployed to disperse crowds attempting to expand the protests.
• Protestors chanted slogans like “Pressures cannot deter us” in defiance of the police blockade.

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Tensions Escalate

DEM Party deputies Ali Bozan and Perihan Koca attempted to meet with local shopkeepers but were blocked by a heavy police presence. Negotiations with officers escalated into clashes, further fueling tensions.

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Trustee Appointments Since 2024

The Akdeniz Municipality trustee appointment marks the latest in a series of government actions targeting elected officials. Since the March 31, 2024 local elections, trustees have been installed in nine municipalities, including seven governed by the DEM Party and two by the CHP. These actions continue to provoke political backlash and highlight ongoing controversies surrounding governance and democracy in Turkey’s municipalities.