Amed, Van and Mardin metropolitan municipalities were seized by the AKP on 19 August. The democratically and freely elected HDP co-mayors were removed from their charge and replaced by State-appointed trustees. 

The people in Amed have been protesting the decision since it was taken, with a sit-in on Lise Avenue.  HDP deputies as well as the dismissed co-mayor, Selçuk Mızraklı, councilors, civil society representatives, families of prisoners and mothers with white scarves , SGP party, Greens Left Party, Revolutionary Party (DP) leaders, Pir Sultan Abdal Association Branch President Garip Kaplan and many people joined the sit-in today.

Call to the CHP

Pir Sultan Abdal Association Branch President Garip Kaplan, said: "We must fight together. We cannot be divided. The CHP leader and lawmakers should take a serious stance against this political coup immediately and stand by the Kurdish people."

Garip told the people in Amed: "As an Alevi organisation we support your righteous struggle and we want you to know that we are with you. We will win together."

Green Left Party co-spokesperson Sinan Tutal, said that the AKP is trying to take revenge for losing the elections by appointing trustees. "We have to stand up against this process with all the forces of democracy. We will send the trustees back to where they come from if we stand together in solidarity."

Socialist Solidarity Platform (SODAP) Representative Sezgin Kartal, said: "Erdogan said: 'We will pick it up from where we have started'. Where did you start? Will you take your revenge for Syria in Amed? Van? Istanbul?"

Stating that the people of Amed, Mardin and Van are carrying out a great will struggle, Revolutionary Party President Elif Torun Öneren said: "We came from Ankara because we are a part of this resistance. The important thing is to resist together. Sending the trustees back to where they come from is our responsibility. We will never back down from our resistance and struggle."

ESP co-chair Sahin Tümüklü said: "We will win together with the Peace Mothers, we will win with their white scarves."

For those who remain silent ...

HDP Deputy Ahmet Şık, speaking to those who do not approve the lawlessness of the trustees but remain in silence said: "Today, not only Amed, Mardin, Van, but Istanbul, Izmir, Amasya, Muğla, are at risk. If you remain silent today, what happened here will happen everywhere."