Democratic Society Party

The mayors of the southeastern provinces of Mardin and Batman and Şanlıurfa's Halfeti district have been removed from office, with trustees appointed in their place, the Interior Ministry announced on Nov. 4.

Members of the Pro-Kurdish party Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) shout slogans against government in Istanbul, September 25, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE/SEDAT SUNA

The country's top court conducted its first examination on Monday and unanimously agreed to accept the chief prosecutor's indictment and officially start the closure case.

Five mayors from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in southeastern Turkey have been detained over alleged terror links, according to local media reports.

Turkey appointed acting mayors to four municipalities in the region.

A local governor in Turkey's southeastern Diyarbakır province assumed the office of the mayor of a district after the former mayor was remanded in custody on terrorism charges last week.

A Turkish court on Feb.1 sentenced opposition Democratic Regions Party (DBP) co-chair Sebahat Tuncel and ousted Diyarbakir Mayor Gültan Kışanak to more than 14 years in prison apiece on terrorism charges, according to judicial sources.

An Ankara court on March 16 sentenced former Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy co-chair Aysel Tuğluk to 10 years in jail in a case in which she stands trial for “being the leader of a terror organization.”

Kurdish issue-focused Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) Ağrı deputy Leyla Zana was acquitted of three separate charges directed at her as a part of a terror investigation on July 11.

An interesting paradox of the April 16 referendum is that the ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) and Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) alliance, in comparison to the Nov. 1, 2015, elections, was able to increase its votes only in the east and especially in the southeast. 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that peace cannot be established with weapons, as he commented on the attacks of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). 

Statements by the jailed Kurdish issue-focused Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) co-chair Selahattin Demirtaş "go beyond freedom of expression," a court ruled on March 13.