Turkish courts have arrested 33 of more than 250 people who were detained during demonstrations against the removal of three mayors in the Kurdish-majority southeast that erupted last week, the interior ministry announced on Sunday.
Three mayors, representing the cities of Mardin and Batman as well as Halfeti, a district in Şanlıurfa province, were removed by Turkey’s Interior Ministry on November 4 and replaced with government officials in a move that sparked widespread condemnation and protests. Authorities subsequently banned protests in several Kurdish majority provinces. All three mayors are members of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party).
The ministry announced on X on Sunday that a total of 253 people were detained for taking part in “illegal” demonstrations and physically attacking the security forces. They are being investigated on accusations such as membership in a terrorist organization, disseminating terrorist propaganda, violating the law on meetings and demonstrations and resisting a law enforcement officer.
Thirty-three of the detainees have been arrested and held in custody, while 37 have been released under judicial supervision and three have been placed under house arrest, the ministry said, adding that the authorities are still questioning the remaining detainees.
The three mayors were removed from office for convictions and charges on terrorism-related offenses, including membership in an armed group and disseminating propaganda for the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
The PKK has waged a decades-long insurgency against the Turkish state that has killed thousands and is designated as a terrorist group by Turkey and its Western allies.
Dozens of pro-Kurdish mayors from predecessor parties were also removed from their posts on similar charges in the past. Recently, however, the government has encouraged outreach to the Kurdish community.
The replacement of the mayors sparked widespread anger and brought a rebuke from Europe’s top rights body, the Council of Europe, which said the move “undermined local democracy.”