Bahçesaray Co-mayor Ayvaz Hazır has been sentenced to three years and 11 months in prison on charges of “committing a crime on behalf of a terrorist organization,” the Artı Gerçek news website reported.
Hazır, a member of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), was originally accused in a case filed on December 24, 2015. The charges related to his participation in an event where he allegedly called for self-rule for Kurds. According to Hazır, however, he was merely working in the municipality’s press unit at the time and was sent by the then-mayor to photograph the event in question.
“It’s very telling that this sentence was handed down so long after the case was initiated, during my tenure as mayor,” he said.
While specific affiliations were not detailed, such charges often pertain to an alleged connection with the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), designated as a terrorist organization by Turkey and its Western allies.
The decision has sparked criticism, with some observers pointing to the political dynamics of Bahçesaray. The district, located in the eastern province of Van, had been governed by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) for years until Hazır and his co-mayor, Nebahat Benek, won the 2019 local elections as DEM Party candidates. Hazır narrowly defeated the AKP candidate Remzi Orhan, receiving 21.33 percent of the vote compared with Orhan’s 21.18 percent. The AKP contested the election results twice, but recounts confirmed the DEM Party victory.
Hazır’s sentence adds to growing concerns about judicial actions targeting opposition figures in Turkey. His case follows a pattern of legal challenges against pro-Kurdish politicians, often accused of links to terrorist groups. Critics argue that such cases undermine democratic governance and disproportionately affect opposition-held municipalities.
The Turkish government has frequently removed and arrested elected mayors, particularly from pro-Kurdish parties, citing alleged links to terrorist organizations. This practice intensified following a failed coup attempt in 2016, with numerous mayors replaced by government-appointed trustees. Critics argue that these actions undermine local democracy and target political opposition.
