Turkey’s Interior Ministry on Wednesday appointed a trustee to the Ağrı Municipality, which was run by pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP) mayor Sırrı Sakık.
Sakık is also a former deputy from the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). He had been serving as the mayor of Ağrı since June 1, 2014.
Ağrı Governor Musa Işın was appointed as a trustee to the Ağrı Municipality.
Meanwhile, Co-mayor of Şırnak’s Beytüşşebap district Nurettin Ataman has been taken into custody after police have raided his house on Wednesday morning. Beside of DBP-held Beytüşşebap municipality, police simultaneously, conducted a search in Ataman’s office in the municipality. Two other people were reportedly detained alongside Ataman and the detainees have been taken to district police department.
Also, the Turkish government has appointed a trustee to the municipality of Mardin province’s Savur district. The co-mayor of Savur Municipality, Mehmet Aydın Alökmen had been detained on February 25. Police forces informed the municipality staff that district governor İdris Koç has been appointed as trustee to the municipality on Wednesday morning.
The Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has appointed trustees to as many as 75 municipalities held by the Democratic Regions’ Party (DBP). The total number of local municipalities that have been taken away from elected mayors in predominantly Kurdish provinces as part of an ongoing crackdown against Kurdish politicians has also exceeded 80.
Turkey has stepped up political pressure on Kurdish politicians in recent months. In addition to appointment of trustees to the management of dozens of municipalities, Turkey has arrested dozens of Kurdish politicians including 13 HDP deputies. March 1, 2017
