Following the sentencing of Dêrsim Municipality co-mayor Cevdet Konak to 6 years and 3 months in prison during Wednesday’s court ruling, the parties of the alliance launched a sit-in protest at the municipal building. 

During the sit-in, attended by Dersim MP Ayten Kordu from the Party of Equality and Democracy of Peoples (DEM Party), co-mayors Birsen Orhan and Cevdet Konak spoke, describing the decision as preparation for the appointment of a trustee. They called for increased solidarity and collective resistance. 

'Trustee preparations underway'

Birsen Orhan stated that the law was instrumentalized and disregarded, leading to the rushed sentencing of Cevdet Konak and Pulur Mayor Mustafa Sarıgül. She emphasized that an attempt was being made to undermine their democratic mandate, and added:  "Today, with the Dêrsim alliance, its components, and NGOs, this attempt has been pushed back. It is clear that the next stage involves preparations for appointing a trustee. We can all clearly see that this decision is entirely a political coup."

'We will not hand over the municipality to colonial governors' 

Noting that they had launched a sit-in at the municipal building as of Wednesday, Birsen Orhan said that their allies and friends were standing by them. She said: "We will continue this sit-in and resist. Under no circumstances will we hand over the duties and responsibilities entrusted to us by the people of Dersim to colonial governors."

'We came through elections; we will not leave through trustees'

Addressing the ruling AKP government, Birsen Orhan stated: "You will lose. You will lose to the Dersim alliance, to the Kurds, to the Alevis, to women. We are here. Municipalities belong to the people; we will not allow you to seize them. We came through elections, and we will not leave through your trustees. We call on everyone to support our resistance and to visit us in front of our municipality. Today is the day for solidarity; today is the day to strengthen the struggle."

‘We invite everyone to resistance’

Cevdet Konak said that his sentencing was a political decision by the ruling government. He added: "The grandchildren of Seyit Rıza and the comrades of Alişer and Zarife are resisting the trustee once again imposed on Dersim’s will by the Turkish state. Today, we are demonstrating this struggle in our municipality. We invite all the people of Dersim, our community, and everyone who stands for democracy and peace to join the resistance against the appointed trustees. We call for the strengthening of solidarity."

Konak emphasized that these pressures are not new and have persisted for 100 years. He concluded by reiterating his call to expand the resistance. 

The sit-in protest at the municipality continues.