As expected, after the arrests of co-mayors, the government appointed a district governor as the trustee of Diyarbakır Municipality this evening.

Up to now, the AKP government has appointed trustees to 28 municipalities (24 of them Peoples` Democratic Party or Democratic Party of the Peoples—HDP/BDP).

According to legal procedures, when a mayor is suspended or dismissed, the municipal council elects a council member as a deputy mayor. Whereas in the case of HDP/BDP municipalities, the government has adopted undemocratic means, appointing vice governors and district governors/officials of the central government’s ruling party (Freedom and Justice—AKP) as trustee mayors.

For further reading, the relevant report of Union of Southeastern Anatolia Region Municipalities (GABB) Local Governments and Appointment of Trustees to Municipalities (dated 11 October 2016) is available here.

Photo: Turkey is on the verge of a full military coup under Erdoğan`s rule, experts have warned. Source: Whatsupic.