Protests sweep Turkish cities amid crackdown on elected mayors’ dismissals

MARDIN, Turkey — Protests continue to surge across southeastern Turkey in response to the Turkish government’s dismissal of elected mayors from municipalities in Mardin, Batman, and Halfeti in Orhoy (Urfa). Despite a wave of arrests, demonstrators remain undeterred, chanting slogans like “No to Turkish Fascism,” “Down with Turkish Fascism,” and “Freedom.”

In front of the Khalafti Municipality building, crowds gathered early yesterday, rallying with patriotic songs and dances. Representatives from the Equality and Peoples’ Equality and Democracy (DEM) Party joined the demonstrations, along with Khalafti Municipality Co-Chairs Saniya Bayram and Muhammad Qarilan, alongside other regional mayors from Orhoy.

Medhat Sinjar, the DEM Party representative for Orhoy, expressed frustration over the replacement of elected officials with government-appointed guardians, arguing that this decision undermines the people’s voice. He condemned the policy as a breach of legal rights, adding that such actions only deepen tensions surrounding the Kurdish issue.

Elsewhere in southeastern Turkey, citizens gathered to denounce the appointment of government guardians, facing heavy-handed responses from security forces, including water cannons, rubber bullets, tear gas, and numerous arbitrary arrests.

The Council of Europe voiced concerns, criticizing the guardianship policy implemented by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) and the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). The Council condemned the recent removal of elected mayors, warning that these measures further erode democratic rights and the will of the people in Turkey.