Turkiye ousts Kurdish mayor over “PKK links”

Shafaq News/ The Turkish Ministry of Interior announced on Wednesday the removal of Sofya Alagas, mayor of Siirt in southeastern Turkiye.

In a statement, the Ministry revealed that Alagas’ removal is due to a previous court ruling that sentenced her to six years and three months in prison for alleged affiliation with the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK), an organization linked to the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which is designated as “a terrorist organization” by Turkiye, the EU, and the United States.

The Ministry has appointed Siirt Governor Kemal Kızılkaya as a trustee to oversee the municipality, describing the move as "temporary." However, in previous cases, removed mayors have rarely been reinstated despite being elected.

Alagas, a member of the pro-Kurdish Democracy and Equality Party (DEM Party), is among 10 mayors removed or arrested since the March 31, 2024, local elections. While some belong to the Republican People's Party (CHP), Turkiye's largest opposition party, the majority are from the DEM Party, which holds 57 seats in the 600-member Turkish parliament.

This pattern of removing elected mayors, particularly from pro-Kurdish parties, has been a recurring practice in Turkiye. Following the failed coup attempt in July 2016, the government imposed a state of emergency, leading to the dismissal of 28 mayors from the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) and their replacement with state-appointed trustees.

A similar wave occurred in 2019, when three mayors from the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) were dismissed shortly after winning local elections. By the end of that year, 24 HDP mayors had been replaced.

The government justifies these actions under Article 127 of the Turkish Constitution and Law No. 5271, which allow for the suspension or removal of officials accused of terrorism-related crimes. However, rights groups and international organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, argue that these measures are politically motivated and intended to curtail Kurdish political representation.

Meanwhile, the European Union and the Council of Europe have criticized Turkiye’s continued removal of elected officials, warning that such measures erode democratic governance and the rule of law.

Despite international condemnation, Ankara maintains that these actions are essential for national security, citing alleged ties to the PKK.