Following the trustee decision, the CHP took action and summoned 414 mayors to Ankara.

The Ministry of Interior has removed DEM Party's Tunceli Mayor Cevdet Konak and CHP's Ovacık Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül, who were sentenced to prison due to a terrorism investigation, and appointed trustees in their place. Following the decision, there were consecutive reactions from the DEM Party and CHP. CHP Leader Özgür Özel criticized the appointment of trustees to municipalities due to alleged terrorist affiliations, stating, "On November 30, we called 414 of our mayors to our headquarters to collectively confront trustee governance and the government's attacks on municipalities."

414 MAYORS GATHER IN ANKARA

In a statement made on his social media account, Özel said:

"In the March 31 elections, the nation initiated a process of political change in Turkey. However, the government is resisting the will of the people by setting traps for elected mayors and using the judiciary as a weapon. We do not evaluate the attacks on municipalities separately; we are determined to show our reaction collectively. On November 30, we called 414 of our mayors to our headquarters to collectively confront trustee governance and the government's attacks on municipalities. We will fight together against this evil that defies the will of the people until the end, and we will take all necessary steps together."

CONVICTED OF MEMBERSHIP IN A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION

According to a statement from the Ministry of Interior, trustees were appointed to the Tunceli and Ovacık municipalities. The statement noted that Tunceli Mayor Cevdet Konak and Ovacık Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül were sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in prison for the crime of "membership in the PKK/KCK terrorist organization." It was announced that Tunceli Governor Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu was appointed as the trustee for Tunceli Municipality, and Ovacık District Governor Hüseyin Şamil Sözen was appointed as the trustee for Ovacık Municipality.

The statement from the Ministry of Interior included the following:

"1. Tunceli Mayor Cevdet Konak's

a) Receiving a sentence of 6 years and 3 months in prison for the crime of "MEMBERSHIP IN A ARMED TERRORIST ORGANIZATION" under the case number 2022/99 of the Tunceli 1st Heavy Criminal Court, and

b) Due to the ongoing investigation for the crime of "PROPAGANDA OF THE PKK/KCK TERRORIST ORGANIZATION" under the investigation file number 2024/1146 of the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office;

Cevdet Konak has been temporarily removed from office by the Ministry of Interior in accordance with Article 127 of the Constitution and Article 47 of the Municipal Law No. 5393.

In accordance with Articles 45 and 46 of the Municipal Law No. 5393, Tunceli Governor Bülent Tekbıyıkoğlu has been appointed as the Acting Mayor of Tunceli.

2. Ovacık Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül's

Receiving a sentence of 6 years and 3 months in prison for the crime of "MEMBERSHIP IN A ARMED TERRORIST ORGANIZATION" under the case number 2022/99 of the Tunceli 1st Heavy Criminal Court;

Mustafa Sarıgül has been temporarily removed from office by the Ministry of Interior in accordance with Article 127 of the Constitution and Article 47 of the Municipal Law No. 5393.

In accordance with Articles 45 and 46 of the Municipal Law No. 5393, Ovacık District Governor Hüseyin Şamil Sözen has been appointed as the Acting Mayor of Ovacık by the Tunceli Governorate."

ÖZGÜR ÖZEL'S FIRST STATEMENT: CONDOLENCES ARE FOR THE LIVING, NOT THE DEAD

CHP Chairman Özgür Özel reacted to the decision with a statement on his social media account, saying, "The decision to appoint trustees to our Ovacık and Tunceli municipalities is a theft of national will that cannot even be disguised." Özel stated in his post: "The decision to appoint trustees to our Ovacık and Tunceli municipalities is a theft of national will that cannot even be disguised. A funeral ceremony that our Ovacık Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül attended in 2012 has become a subject of a lawsuit in 2022 and is considered a crime in 2024. Condolences are for the living, not the dead. No family can be held responsible for the crimes of their child, nor can those who come to pay their respects. Removing a mayor who has been elected by the people for two terms due to a funeral he attended 12 years ago has no significance other than the last struggles of a government that is on its way out. We will resist this lawlessness, just as we do against all attacks on elected mayors. We will not surrender this nation to those who prioritize their own interests over the interests of Turkey."

CO-CHAIRS ALSO GOING TO TUNCELİ

DEM Party Co-Chairs reacted to the appointment of trustees to Tunceli and Ovacık municipalities. Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları said, "We call on everyone whose heart beats for democracy to give a democratic response against the trustees. We say enough to continuous coups." Co-Chair Tuncer Bakırhan emphasized that the will of the people cannot be taken by force. Tülay Hatimoğulları, Co-Chair of the DEM Party, stated that they will be in Tunceli tomorrow to protest against the trustees and show a democratic response.