Turkey: Statement On Mayors Suspended For Terror Links

Turkey's Interior Ministry Monday released a statement in three languages over the recently suspended mayors for their alleged terror links in the east and southeast of the country.

The mayors of southeastern Diyarbakir and Mardin and eastern Van provinces -- Adnan Selcuk Mizrakli, Ahmet Turk and Bedia Ozgokce Ertan, respectively -- have been suspended for supporting terrorism early Monday.

The ministry's statement, released also in English and Kurdish, is as follows:

"PKK/KCK terrorist organization and its extensions that have significantly been at a loss as a result of the decisive struggle against terrorism in recent years have exerted the feasibilities of municipalities for illegal purposes through some mayors.

"Some of municipalities, which are components of the holistic organization of the state, whose duties and responsibilities are set forth by the Constitution and laws and whose primary duty is to cover the local and mutual needs of citizens, have been sought to become the logistical centers for ensuring militant source, financial support and equipment for supporting terrorist activities.

"In addition, such municipalities which have been striven to become the component of an administration model, contrary to other regions of our country, have been used as an instrument against the indivisible integrity of the state with its territory and nation as set forth in Article 3 of our Constitution.

"After having highlighted this situation through judicial and administrative investigations, our Ministry suspended mayors, who were identified and proven to be engaged and affiliated with terrorist organizations and to support them, from their duties pursuant to the Article 127 of the Constitution and the Article 47 of the Municipality Law No. 5393. In substitution for them, acting mayors were appointed in accordance with the Article 45 of the Municipality Law.

"As a result of the heavy struggle of all units of the State in this process, the participation to the terrorist organizations have fallen to the lowest level of the last 30 years and the number of terrorists in our territories has declined from the figures of 1,800-2,000 to some 600. The resources of municipalities in many provinces/districts in the eastern and southeastern regions have been canalized for local services instead of financing the terrorist organization while our provinces, intended to be turned into a chaotic structure through the trenches and barricades erected by the terrorist organization and its supporters have been introduced with the genuine municipalism highlighting the peace and service.

"Thanks to this, public resources have been secured and the level of peace and prosperity of our citizens have enhanced by means of mobilizing the resources into municipal services.

"Having lost the feasibilities of the municipalities after the appointments of mayors, the separatist terrorist organization and its political extensions regarded the elections of local authorities on March 31, 2019 as an opportunity to resolve its challenges to recruit militants, ensure pecuniary resources and motivate its alignments. The terrorist organization exerted heavy efforts to nominate candidates who would be easily led once they would be elected and would be under its guidance and orientation.

"Therefore, persons, in particular Ahmet Turk who was under custody, but was ruled to be jailed trial without arrest on account of his health problems, indicted and prosecuted due to offenses of forming or commanding an armed terrorist organization, becoming a member of an armed terrorist organization, making propaganda for the terrorist organization, praising an offense and offender, were deliberately and willfully nominated as mayor candidate in some municipalities."

The statement went on citing the charges against the mayors suspended:

"IN THIS REGARD, in DIYARBAKIR province, Adnan Selcuk MIZRAKLI;

1- being indicted as per the Prosecution, Docket No. 2017/129, conducted by Diyarbakir 9th High Criminal Court due to the offense of 'forming or commanding an armed terrorist organization,'

2- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2018/7592, conducted by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization and praising an offense and offender,'

3- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/30425, conducted by Diyarbakir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offense of 'becoming a member of the armed terrorist organization,'

4- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/111869, conducted by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization and praising an offense and offender,'

5- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/106124, conducted by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization and praising an offense and offender,'

6- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/111864, conducted by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization and praising an offense and offender,'

7- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/111876, conducted by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization and praising an offense and offender,'

8- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/111845, conducted by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization and praising an offense and offender,'

9- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/28838, conducted by Diyarbakir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offense of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization and becoming a member of the armed terrorist organization' was elected as the metropolitan municipality mayor in Diyarbakir province.

"IN THIS REGARD, in MARDIN province, Ahmet TURK;

1- being indicted as per the prosecution, file no. 2017/279, conducted by Mardin 3rd High Criminal Court -- being jailed trial without arrest owing to becoming elderly and his health problems whereas he was jailed pending trial due to the offenses of 'becoming a member of the armed terrorist organization, misuse of public duty, forming and commanding an armed terrorist organization,'

2- being indicted as per the prosecution, file no. 2018/229, conducted by Mardin 3rd High Criminal Court due to the offense of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization,'

3- being prosecuted as per the investigation, file no. 2018/270, conducted by Mardin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offense of 'becoming a member of the armed terrorist organization,'

4- being prosecuted as per the investigation, file no. 2018/11686, conducted by Mardin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offense of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization,'

5- being prosecuted as per the investigation, file no. 2019/300, conducted by Mardin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of "becoming a member of the armed terrorist organization and deliberately and willfully aiding the terrorist organization,'

6- being prosecuted as per the investigation, file no. 2019/1642, conducted by Mardin Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'becoming a member of the armed terrorist organization and deliberately and willfully aiding the terrorist organization' was elected as the metropolitan municipality mayor in Mardin province.

"IN THIS REGARD, in VAN province, Bedia OZGOKCE ERTAN;

1- being indicted as per the prosecution, docket no. 2016/557, conducted by Van 2nd High Criminal Court due to the offense of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization,'

2- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2016/9837, conducted by Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization and becoming a member of the armed terrorist organization,'

3- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2016/15596, conducted by Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offense of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization,'

4- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/6711, conducted by Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offense of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization,'

5- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/11570, conducted by Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'praising an offense and offender and making propaganda for the terrorist organization,'

6- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/11571, conducted by Van Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offense of 'making propaganda for the terrorist organization,'

7- being prosecuted as per the investigation no. 2019/109905, conducted by Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office due to the offenses of 'becoming a member of the armed terrorist organization and making propaganda for the terrorist organization' was elected as the metropolitan municipality mayor in Van province. -