The Hakkari Municipality won by the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) in the 31 March local elections was usurped by a government-appointed trustee on 3 June. Co-Mayor Mehmet Sıddık Akış, who was removed from office by the decision of the Turkish Ministry of Interior, was arrested with a prison sentence of 19 years and 6 months in a case that has been ongoing for 10 years.

A rally was held in Hakkari today in protest at the usurpation of the municipality. The rally was organised by the Democratic Society Congress (DTK), Peoples‘ Democratic Congress (HDK), Democratic Regions Party (DBP), Free Women's Movement (TJA), Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), other components of the Labour and Freedom Alliance and NGOs under the motto “Municipalities belong to the people, we will not allow usurpation”.

The rally, attended by tens of thousands of people, was held in Tekser neighbourhood. The rally started with a minute of silence and continued with speeches.

DEM Party Provincial Co-chair Kadir Şahin made a speech of thanks, while Co-Mayor of Hakkari Municipality Viyan Tekçe sent greetings to Co-Mayor Sıddık Akış who was sentenced to 19 years and 6 months in prison and all the prisoners. Tekçe stated that the Kurdish people are being subjected to enemy law by the trustees and said, "These decisions are taken at the AKP Headquarters, not at the courthouse. The governor appointed as a trustee will be a black stain on this city. The people showed once again that they do not want you. We will resist the usurpation of the will of our people until the end. We will take this city, which you have turned into a farm, from you. We do not recognise any will over the will of the people."

A short message from Akış was also read at the rally.  Afterwards, party representatives attending the rally made speeches.

Hocaoğulları: They are afraid of the will of our people

Halkevleri MYK (Central Executive Board) member Sevinç Hocaoğulları: "This coup is not against Hakkari, but against labour, peace and democracy. We salute those who turned this place into a meeting of entire Turkey. The Kurds are a people who determine their own future and struggle. Kurdish people have frustrated the trustee politics. All our peoples must come together to increase the struggle against the trustee poitics. They are afraid of the will of our people and know very well that our people will destroy their rotten power. Our struggle will continue. Long live the brotherhood of the peoples.”

Tekin: No matter what they do, they will be defeated again

EMEP (Labour Party) Regional Representative Ergin Tekin: "We had an election and the government said that they would recognise the people’s will, but on the same day they tried to appoint a trustee to Van Municipality. Yet, they had to step back in the face of resistance. They talked about normalisation and softening, but this is their policy. Wherever Kurds go to the polls and demand equality, they stand against them. No matter what they do, they will be defeated. They will be defeated again. The source of this country's security problem is the AKP's policies. The only thing that falls to us is to resist.”

Uğurtekin: The trustee policy is doomed to lose

Revolutionary Party MYK member Enes Uğurtekin: "Let the AKP tell their tales of softening with the appointed trustee elsewhere. The trustee policy is doomed to lose in the face of the peoples' struggle."

Çoban: There can be no softening in the shadow of weapons and trustees

The Workers' Party of Turkey (TİP) MYK member Fırat Çoban: "The country is full of lawlessness. Thieves are outside but those who defend this country are inside prisons. Those who give way to ISIS are outside, but those who defend ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ are inside. They failed in Van, they will not succeed here. There can be no softening in the shadow of weapons and trustees, there can be a struggle. They are trying to oppress our people with violence. We will not let you make history in Hakkari, we will bury you in history."

Konak: You cannot serve the people in the shadow of fascism

The Socialist Assemblies Federation (SMF) FMK member Evrim Konak: "For a century, attempts have been made to take away the Kurdish people's right to life. But the struggle of the Kurdish people has crossed borders and spread around the world. Today they are trying to usurp the will of the Kurdish people through trustees. The people here showed them at the ballot box that they did not want trustees. They do not know that they themselves committed the real crime. Despite all the pressure and attacks, the people do not want trustees. You cannot serve this people in the shadow of fascism by gathering the law enforcement force in front of the municipality building."

Gözen: It is everyone's duty to defend the will of the Kurdish people

Social Freedom Party (TÖP) Spokesperson Juliana Gözen: "Their persecution is not over, their trustees are not over, their imprisonment of people is not over. We are not finished either. We resisted and we will continue to resist. You will put a ballot box in front of us, but you will not like the result. Is this the law? Is the law to crush children with panzers, to put people in prison? There is no law here. Just as we resisted and won, we will come side by side and win. We will change the law being implemented here. We have to change it. We will definitely bring a democratic republic and constitution in this country. It is everyone's duty to defend the will of the Kurdish people against these colonial trustees."

Konukçu: We will hold these thieves and looters to account

The Socialist Solidarity Party (SODAP) Spokesperson and DEM Party MP Keziban Konukçu; "The Kurdish people are giving everyone a lesson in struggle. Kurds are giving morale to all of Turkey, they are keeping their hopes alive. The government is not only appointing trustees, but telling the people to starve to death. The will of the Kurdish people and the bread of the labourers are our reasons for the struggle. With the unity of struggle, we will hold these thieves and looters to account."

Çiftyürek: The government does not recognise the will of the Kurdish people

Sinan Çiftyürek of the Kurdistan Communist Party (KKP): "The government does not recognise the will of the Kurdish people. It respects the election results in the West but does not recognise it in Kurdistan. They recognise the will of Ankara, but not the will of Van, Diyarbakır and Hakkari. Our municipalities were open to our people, but after the appointment of trustees, they were closed to the people."

Bayındır: No one can prevent the struggle of our people

The Democratic Regions Party (DBP) Co-Chair Keskin Bayindir: "We are not weak and we have been fighting against them for 100 years. We have millions of friends. We believe in our people and we will resist forever. They are in trouble right now, not us. Our people are enhancing their struggle in every field and no one can prevent it. Today we have millions of comrades all over the world. We will defend all our cities. Hakkari is never alone. We will definitely succeed."

Koçak: Trustee is theft, discrimination and misogyny

KESK Co-Chair Ayfer Koçak: "This government has no eyes to see and no ears to hear. This government has condemned the laborers in the country to hunger. Trustee is theft, discrimination and misogyny. It is not only you whose will is being usurped, but also the rights of everyone living in the country. There is not a state mechanism, but a mafia organisation."

Demir: We will rewrite history

Peoples' Democratic Congress (HDK) Co-spokesperson Esengül Demir: "We will rewrite history and we will not allow this usurpation. Long live the resistance of Hakkari."

Üci: We will never submit to the AKP policies

Partizan Representative Nurgül Üci: "We stand by the struggle of the Kurdish people. We will never submit to the AKP policies. We will be in action with a united and common struggle."

Fidan: Trustee is plunder, theft and corruption

TJA activist Adalet Fidan: "The government does not recognise the will, language, identity and struggle of the Kurdish people. Trustee policies are hostility to the Kurdish people and women's struggle. Trustee is plunder, theft and corruption. They want to destroy the Kurdish women's struggle and the co-presidency system. We women will defend our gains at any cost. We call out to all women: it is time to act together and win."

Gülmez: Kurds need to unite and fight

Deputy Chair of the Human and Freedom Party, Menice Gülmez: "They have been attacking the Kurdish people for a century. If the Kurds unite, they can break this usurpation. Kurds need to unite and fight against them. We do not and will not accept the regime's trustees."

Şimşek: Rights and laws are abolished

Green Left Party PM member Ahmet Şimşek: "Greetings to those who stand against the oppressors. We have come here to denounce the unjust and unlawful practices to all of Turkey. Rights and laws are abolished, and trustees are appointed to the will of a people. The life of everyone living in this country has turned into hell. It is a requirement of being human to stand against injustice and oppressors."