Protests have been staged for the 16th day in Amed, Mardin and Van since the AKP regime seized the municipalities of the three cities by removing the democratically elected mayors and appointing trustees in their place on August 19.

Today’s Vigil for Democracy, held in front of the HDP (Peoples’ Democratic Party) İpekyolu district offices, began with the commemoration of Democracy Party (DEP) MP Mehmet Sincar who was murdered 26 years ago today, on 4 September 1993.

The press statement was read by HDP Muş MP Şevin Çoşkun who pointed out that the trustee practices have turned into a cultural, economic and political genocide.

Coşkun said; “The AKP-MHP government which has extended its authoritativeness in recent years, has put in place two more basic ideological implementation; the policy of isolation and trustees. Our party is the biggest obstacle to these policies by the AKP-MHP that target all democratic institutions.

Noting that three HDP councilors at Edremit district municipality were unlawfully dismissed and replaced by trustees, Çoşkun said this was an unconstitutional practice implemented only in fascist countries. “We do not recognize this decision like we have rejected all the past decisions that ignored the will of the people,” she added.

The press statement was followed by a sit-in action that lasted two hours.