ERBIL, Kurdistan Region – The Turkish government’s latest crackdown on the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) has led to the removal of 32 mayors and detention of 23 others who were elected in last year’s local elections, according to a survey published by the party.
A survey published to Twitter shows that 32 of their municipalities have been “confiscated,” referring to the removal of their mayors.
23 co-mayors have been detained as “political hostages,” it added.
A report by the HDP in early November put the number of affected mayors at 15.
The latest raid on HDP members was on Tuesday, with the detention of 12 HDP members in Izmir province, according to pro-Kurdish outlet ANF.
The HDP on Tuesday called on authorities to end raids on the party, adding that “our party and people will continue fighting for justice and freedom.”
Founded in 2012, the HDP has been subject to repressive measures from the Turkish government, including party member arrests.
The crackdown grew more pronounced after a failed coup attempt on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government in July 2016, which was blamed on Fethullah Gulen - a former ally of Erdogan living in self-imposed asylum in the US.
The first removal of the newly-elected HDP mayors came on August 19 2019, when the mayors of major cities Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van were removed from office. This set the precedent for other party officials to also be removed from their positions.
The HDP supported the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) candidates in western provinces, where the CHP raced against Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Kurdish votes were said to have had a role in the victory of the opposition party in these areas, especially Istanbul, which is home to millions of Kurds.
The Turkish Ministry of Interior accused the HDP officials in question of financial exploitation in favor of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) – a Kurdish armed group that has fought the Turkish state for decades to gain the cultural and political rights of Kurds in the country.
The HDP has denied the claims, blaming trustees - pro-government officials who have replaced the removed mayors - of corruption.
HDP co-chair Sezai Temelli shared the findings on Twitter, calling for cooperation to end the removal of elected officials.
“Trustee mentality will continue to be everywhere as long as [a] trustee regime and monist system exists,” said Temelli, adding that “we must form a democratic alliance to end this.”
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