Imprisoned co-mayor of Iğdır suffers heart attack

The imprisoned co-mayor of Iğdır, Yaşar Akkuş, has suffered a heart attack.

Yaşar Akkuş (HDP), the imprisoned co-mayor of Iğdır (Rêşqelas), has suffered a heart attack. He is currently imprisoned in E-Type Prison in Erzurum. Akkuş was taken to the hospital where a cardiac catheterization was performed. Since the expansion of the vessels was not successful, he now has to undergo open heart surgery.

Yaşar Akkuş was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison in May 2021 for “membership in a terrorist organization”. The politician was elected to the mayor's office in 2019 together with Eylem Çelik. Both were arrested on 15 May 2020, and replaced by a state-appointed trustee.

The HDP won the elections in 65 cities in the last local elections, almost all of which are now under a trustee. The next local elections are scheduled for spring 2024.