The co-mayor of Suruç, Hatice Çevik, was arrested on Friday morning and the town hall was surrounded by the police with water cannons and special units. At the moment the municipality building is being searched by the police.

Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) deputy Ayşe Sürücü tried to enter the town hall in the morning together with members of the town council, but was attacked by the police, beaten and removed from the building. Sürücü and the members of the city council then started a sit-in action before the police cordoned off the building. Numerous residents of the city have also joined the protest.

Commenting on the government's action, parliamentarian Sürücü said: "There is oppression here. Our co-mayors were illegally arrested. This is robbery and theft. Why are elections held in the name of democracy if trustees are to be appointed and replace those democratically elected? You cannot seize the political will of the people of Suruç. This people has not bowed to you and will not bow to you."

The HDP won the local elections in Suruç with 59.36 percent of the votes in the local elections of March 31. Here too, as has already happened in twenty other HDP-administered cities, a trustee of the Turkish regime is to be appointed.

In addition to the arrest of the co-mayor Hatice Çevik, the co-mayors Gülistan Öncü (Savur), Nalan Özaydın (Mazıdağı) and Mülkiye Ezmez (Derik) were also detained today and transferred to the police headquarters.