Court arrests former Mardin mayor Ahmet Türk

The ousted mayor of the southeastern province of Mardin, Ahmet Türk, was arrested on "terror" charges on Nov. 24, becoming the latest Kurdish politician to be arrested.

Türk was initially brought to the Mardin Public Prosecutor's Office in the morning hours following procedures at the police headquarters. He was later referred to a Criminal Court of Peace with a demand for his arrest after testifying to a prosecutor.

Police detained Türk on Nov. 21 after he was dismissed from his post as part of a terror investigation along with the co-mayor of Mardin's central Artuklu district, Emin Irmak, who is also from the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), the sister party of the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP).

The Interior Ministry appointed Mardin Gov. Mustafa Yaman as Mardin co-mayor in place of Türk on Nov. 17 while trustees were appointed to the municipalities of the eastern provinces of Van, Siirt and Tunceli on the same day following operations to detain and arrest the mayors for terrorism charges.

Meanwhile, the former head of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and the party's Antalya deputy, Deniz Baykal, visited Türk's family in order to voice his support. Baykal chatted with Türk's wife, Mülkiye Türk, at their home in Mardin.

"Hopefully we will have beautiful days together," Baykal said on Nov. 24, as he added that "these painful days will be left behind." 

Baykal was later joined by another HDP lawmaker from the southeastern province of Diyarbakır, Altan Tan.
 
Baykal and the group with him later went to the Mardin Courthouse and talked to the Mardin Chief Public Prosecutor. They then went to the Mardin Governor's Office.