The Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) has now lost almost all of its mayoral mandates due to dismissals by the Ministry of the Interior. In addition to the co-mayors of HDP-ruled cities and municipalities, the HDP's local council factions are also being systematically put out of action through suspensions. Another example of this policy occurred in the Doğubayazıt district of Ağrı. The speaker of the city council, Hamide Turan (HDP), was removed from office by the Interior Ministry on Thursday under the pretext of an ongoing investigation.

At a protest against this action, the co-chair of the HDP district association, Abdullah Eklik, announced opposition to the measure. Hamide Turan stressed that this action is aimed at breaking up the strong democratic structures in the region. Doğubayazıt is one of the last cities governed by the HDP.

On Aug. 19, 2019, trustees were appointed in the major Kurdish cities of Amed (Diyarbakır), Van and Mardin, and the HDP's democratically elected mayors were deposed. This AKP power grab at the municipal level marked the prelude to the appointment of trustees over almost all HDP-ruled municipalities. 17 of the mayors elected in March 2019 are currently in jail, and many have already been sentenced to long prison terms. In the March 2019 municipal elections, the HDP had won in 65 cities and towns.