"Provocative statement from the suspended president."

The Ministry of Interior has removed DEM Party's Tunceli Mayor Cevdet Konak and CHP's Ovacık Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül from their positions due to a terrorism investigation that resulted in prison sentences, and appointed trustees in their place. Tunceli Mayor Cevdet Konak made a statement in front of the municipality. In Tunceli, where many citizens gathered in front of the municipal building to start protest demonstrations, the suspended mayor Konak called on the people of Tunceli to stand up for their municipality.

CALL TO THE PEOPLE: STAND UP FOR YOUR MUNICIPALITY

Konak continued his statement as follows:

"I did not sign that notification. This duty, this responsibility, this leadership, this spokesperson role has been given to me by the people of Dersim. No notification can take this authority away from us. They have officially blocked the roads with vehicles, committing the greatest injustice and lawlessness. This is an unprecedented situation. I am here. A group of civil police blocked the roads with dozens of cars and did not allow me to move my vehicle in traffic. I got out and asked, 'What is happening? Why have you blocked the road?' They said there is a notification from the ministry. All the institutions of the municipality have been occupied. This is an attack on the will of the people of Dersim. We will resist to the end. Dear people of Dersim, stand up for your municipality. Your municipality is your honor."