Mayors of Yenişehir and Hazro districts in Diyarbakır, İdil district in Şırnak and Akpazar town in Dersim have been replaced with trustees by the Ministry of Interior.

 

Twenty-two mayors from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) in Kurdish-majority cities were previously dismissed or not mandated after the March 31 local elections, including the metropolitan mayors of Diyarbakır, Mardin and Van.

 

The mayors have been dismissed over "terrorism-related investigations against them."

 

There are two ongoing investigations launched by Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Yenişehir Co-Mayor Belgin Diken for "membership of a terrorist organization," Diyarbakır Governorship said in a statement. Yenişehir District Governor Murat Beşikçi has been appointed as a trustee, it added.

 

Diken received 63.32 percent of the votes in the local elections.

 

Hazro Mayor Ahmet Çevik is under investigation for "membership of a terrorist organization" and "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" the governor's office said. Çevik has been replaced with Hazro District Governor Ali Öner.

 

Çevik received 52.61 percent of the votes in the local elections.

 

Orhan Çelebi, the mayor of Akpazar town in Dersim's Mazgirt district, has been dismissed from his post he was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months in prison for "propagandizing for a terrorist organization" and there is another investigation against him on the same charge. Mazgirt District Governor Menderes Topçuoğlu has been appointed as trustee.

 

Çelebi started a sit-in protest in the morning, saying, "The will of the people is usurped," in a tweet.