The vigils for democracy launched by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Amed, Mardin and Van in protest at the removal of elected mayors and appointment of trustees to the three metropolitan municipalities, continue on day 23.

The sit-in action in Van continued in front of the HDP İpekyolu district offices with the participation of HDP deputies Murat Sarısaç, Muazzez Orhan, Ayşe Sürücü and Hasan Özgüneş, dismissed Co-mayor Mustafa Avcı, administrators of HDP provincial and district branches, Free Women’s Movement (TJA) activists and Peace Mothers.

Unfurling a banner which read “Not trustee administration but will of the people”, the group chanted “We are right, we will win”, “Van, Mardin and Amed are ours” and “We will win through resistance”.  

Speaking to the press, HDP MP Murat Sarısaç recalled that protests against the appointment of trustees to HDP municipalities have been continuing for 23 days. He stressed that they will continue with their protest until the trustee is sent back.

MP Sarısaç said the following; “We will keep our resistance going just like how we resisted against their massacres and seizure of people’s will in the past. A young activist faced attempts of detention only because he said “Kurdistan”. As the Palace tries hard to oppress the Kurds, the police forces under their tutelage are trying to suppress the people through repression. As our friends convicted Esad Oktay’s in the dungeons of Diyarbakır, we will convict the same fascist mentality today.”