The Ministry of Interior suspended Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık from office yesterday. It also appointed a trustee to Şişli Municipality. With the latest decision of the Ministry, the number of municipalities to wich trustees have been appointed since the local elections held on 31 March 2024 increased to 13.

 

The Ministry appointed a trustee to Colemêrg (Hakkari) Municipality on 3 June. Co-mayor Sıddık Akış, who was arrested with the trustee decision, was sentenced to 19 years and 6 months on 5 June.

 

CHP Mayor of Esenyurt Ahmet Özer, who was elected through the "Urban Consensus" model, was detained and arrested on 30 October 2024 on charges of "terrorist organization membership". Özer was replaced by Istanbul Deputy Governor Can Aksoy as trustee on 31 October.

 

On 4 November, trustees were appointed to the DEM Party-run municipalities of Mêrdîn (Mardin) Metropolitan, Êlih (Batman) and Xelfetî (Halfeti) in Riha (Urfa).

 

On 22 November, trustees were appointed to DEM Party-led Dêrsim (Tunceli) Municipality and CHP-led Pulur (Ovacık) Municipality. On 20 November, Cevdet Konak, Co-mayor of Dêrsim Municipality and Mustafa Sarıgül, Mayor of Pulur Municipality from CHP, were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison each.

 

On 29 November, Ayvaz Hazır, co-mayor of Miks (Bahçesaray) Municipality in Wan (Van) was dismissed and a trustee was appointed in his place. Hazır's dismissal was based on a 3-year and 11-month sentence given to him in 2015 for a press statement he had watched while working in the press department of the municipality and an investigation against him for "terror organization propaganda".

 

TRUSTEE TO AKDENIZ MUNICIPALITY

 

Nuriye Arslan and Hoşyar Sarıyıldız, co-mayors of the DEM Party-run Mersin Akdeniz Municipality, were arrested after being detained on 10 January. A trustee was appointed to Akdeniz Municipality on 14 January.

 

Sofya Alağaş, co-mayor of Sêrt (Siirt) Municipality, who was charged with "terrorist organization membership" while working as a journalist, was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison on 28 January. The Ministry of Interior dismissed Sofya Alağaş on 29 January and appointed the governor in her place.

 

Wan Metropolitan Municipality Co-Mayor Abdullah Zeydan was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months in prison during the retrial of his retrial on charges of "aiding terror organisation" on 11 February. On 15 February, a trustee was appointed to the municipality.

 

A trustee was appointed to Qaxizman (Kağızman) Municipality of the DEM Party Qers (Kars) on 24 February. Co-Mayor Mehmet Alkan was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison for "terrorist organization membership" on 20 February. Alkan was dismissed on the grounds of this sentence.

 

Yesterday, the Ministry announced that a trustee was appointed to the CHP-affiliated Şişli Municipality.

 

MAYORS SUSPENDED FROM OFFICE

 

In addition to the trustee appointments, deputy mayors have been appointed to replace the suspended mayors in many municipalities so far. Rıza Akpolat, the mayor of Beşiktaş, who was arrested on charges of "terrorist organization membership", "bid rigging" and "wrongful acquisition of property", was suspended from office on 17 January.

 

Arrested Beykoz Mayor Alaattin Köseler was suspended from office on 4 March. IBB Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık were also suspended from office yesterday.

 

While new deputy mayors were elected in Beşiktaş and Beykoz Municipalities, IBB and Beylikdüzü Municipalities will hold deputy mayor elections on 26 March.