KURDISTAN

Latest News

• Young man imprisoned for calling on the trustee to ‘evacuate the municipality’ in Batman 

  On 4 November, the municipality of Batman, along with the municipalities of Mardin and Halfeti, was usurped by the government through the appointment of a trustee to replace the democratically elected co-mayors.
• KDP expels the spokesperson and members of the HDP Representative Office in Hewlêr 

  Reports say that KDP security forces expelled the spokesperson and members of HDP's Kurdistan Region Representative Office in Hewlêr.
• Turkish army continues operation on Bagok massif 

  An operation by the Turkish army that was launched more than a week ago in the area surrounding the Bagok massif in the Kurdish district of Nusaybin has been expanded.
• Police set dog on severely disabled man during house raid in Batman 

  In Batman, a police dog was set on a 25-year-old mentally disabled man who was detained for participating in protests against the dismissal of the co-mayor in Batman. A bite wound on his neck required eleven stitches.
• Actions by MAK militia in Batman and Lice 

  The Kurdistan Freedom Militia (MAK) reported a series of actions against the state forces in Batman province, where popular resistance against the unlawful removal of the democratically elected co-mayors continues.
• IHD Co-Chair: The Kurdish question cannot be resolved with isolation 

  Visiting the resistance in Halfeti against the usurpation of the municipality by the government, IHD Co-Chair Hüseyin Küçükbalaban referred the ongoing isolation of Öcalan in İmralı and said, “The Kurdish question cannot be resolved with isolation."
• Resistance against usurpation of Kurdish municipalities continues 

  The protests against the removal of Kurdish mayors from office by the Turkish Ministry of the Interior continue despite brutal repression.
• Resistance in Mardin: We will continue to resist until we take back what is ours 

  In Mardin, the resistance against the trustee coup continues day and night without interruption.
• MP Tiryaki: The government's actions and words do not match 

  DEM Party Batman MP Mehmet Rüştü Tiryaki drew attention to Bahçeli's reiterated remarks on Abdullah Öcalan and said that if there is to be peace, the policy of trustees and isolation should be abandoned.
• Ahmet Türk: They can never silence the Kurdish people or make them take a step back 

  Speaking at the protest action against the usurpation of the municipality in Mardin, Co-mayor Ahmet Türk said, “They can never, ever silence the Kurdish people by appointing trustees and throwing them into dungeons.”
• Thousands continue the resistance against the usurpation of municipality in Batman 

  Thousands of people marched against the seizure of Batman Municipality, saying, ‘We will achieve success through resistance.’
• Gülistan Sönük: We will resist until the trustee appointment is revoked 

  Gülistan Sönük, the co-mayor of Batman who was replaced by a government-appointed trustee, said: "Our resistance will continue until the trustee decision, which disregards the will of our people, is revoked."
• Young people defend Batman 

  On Tuesday night, protests continued in response to the appointment of government-appointed trustees over the municipalities of Batman, Mardin and Halfeti.
• DEM Party Co-chairs vow uninterrupted struggle against the usurpation of municipalities 

  In protest against the suspension of Kurdish mayors by the Turkish Ministry of the Interior, the DEM Party held its parliamentary meeting today in front of Mardin Municipality and announced uninterrupted resistance.
• Police attack people in front of the usurped municipality of Batman 

  People in front of Batman Municipality resisted the police crackdown with gas bombs and water cannons. 2 journalists and many people were detained.
• Co-mayor of Batman: We will never surrender 

  Batman Co-Mayor Gülistan Sönük, who was replaced by a trustee, stated that they took over the municipalities with the labour and approval of the people and said, “Only the people take the initiative to govern the municipality from us.”
• People’s resistance against the usurpation of their will continues in Halfeti 

  The resistance against usurpation in Halfeti continues on its second day.
• At least 92 people detained during protests against usurpation of municipalities 

  Dozens of people were targeted by the police in the wake of protests against the appointment of state officials to replace the mayors elected by the Kurdish population in the 31 March local elections.
• Young people in Batman continue resisting against usurpation of municipality 

  Young people protesting the usurpation of Batman Municipality and the appointment of a trustee continued their resistance throughout the night.
• At least 60 people taken into custody in Batman 

  Turkish police attacked the people who protested against the seizure of Batman Municipality and detained at least 60 people.
• KCK: Peoples must resist fascism, usurpation and genocide together 

  KCK said that the Kurdish people must mobilize everywhere, protect their will, and not stop until the usurpation of their will is ended, and the municipalities are returned to the people.
• People of Batman protest the usurpation of their municipality 

  The residents of Batman were attacked by the police for protesting the appointment of a trustee to replace the mayor they elected democratically.
• Thousands protest the usurpation of DEM Party municipalities in Amed 

  The people of Amed are protesting the appointment of trustees to the municipalities of Mardin, Batman and Halfeti.
• ‘We will respond to the usurpation of our municipalities with resistance’ 

  Ongoing protest against the usurpation of 3 DEM Party municipalities in the Kurdish region of Turkey.
• Kurdistan People's Initiative: We will be on the streets until we take back our municipalities 

  Kurdistan People's Initiative made a call against the usurpation of Kurdish municipalities and said, “We will not recognise those who do not recognise us. Let's claim our will, let's turn all squares and streets into areas of action.”