Co-Mayors Hoşyar Sarıyıldız and Nuriye Arslan of the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), who won the municipality in Akdeniz district of Mersin in the 31 March 2024 local elections, were taken into custody during house raids carried out at dawn.

Three members of the Municipal Council, Özgür Çağlar, Hikmet Bakırhan and Neslihan Oruç, were also taken into custody during the police operation.

A confidentiality order was imposed on the investigation file and the detainees' access to lawyers was restricted for 24 hours. The police laid a siege around the municipality building.

DEM Party members protesting the blockade were prevented from entering the municipality building. Police officers said, “We will not let anyone in today. No one except the police will be allowed into the building.”

Speaking at the protest demonstration outside the municipality, the Association of Lawyers for Freedom (ÖHD) Mersin Branch Co-Chair İbrahim Kaya, said: “By appointing trustees to the will of the people, they are trying to usurp the municipalities that they could not win in the elections. As lawyers affiliated to ÖHD, Contemporary Lawyers Association (ÇHD), Human Rights Association (IHD) Mersin Branch, we have undertaken the task of defending those detained.”

People continue to wait in front of the municipality. Labour unions in Mersin joined the demonstration to support the resistance.

DEM Party and CHP members of the Municipal Council held the second session of the January meeting in front of the municipality building where protests against detentions and police siege continue. The meeting was held under the shadow of police barricades.

In the meantime, DEM Party MP for Mersin, Ali Bozan, stated that no official announcement has been made yet regarding the operation against the municipality.

“There is a 24-hour restriction on lawyers. Lawyers cannot meet with the detainees. Information about the content of the file is not provided because there is a confidentiality order. So far, there is no official information or announcement regarding the appointment of a trustee. I went to the municipality while it was being searched early in the morning. An authorised police officer there told me, ‘It is forbidden to enter the municipality by the decision of the trustee’,” Bozan said.

The MP continued: “A de facto trustee has already been appointed. No one is allowed to enter the municipality. Even citizens who want to pay their taxes are not allowed in. The municipal council meeting was set to take place today, but even the council members are not allowed in. We are waiting in front of the municipality. We will not leave and we invite everyone to claim their will in front of the municipality.”