Trustee Appointed to Cizre Municipality in Şırnak

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A trustee has been appointed to the District Municipality of Cizre in Turkey's southeastern province of Şırnak.

With this appointment, the number of trustee-appointed Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) municipalities has increased to 13, including the Metropolitan Municipalities of Diyarbakır, Van and Mardin.

Speaking to the Mezopotamya Agency, Cizre Co-Mayor Mehmet Zırığ has confirmed the appointment of a trustee. In March 31 local elections, Zırığ was elected as the mayor by receiving 77 percent of the votes.

Zırığ has indicated that as he was not at home, the written notice informing him about the appointment was delivered to the neighborhood head's office.

Zırığ shared the picture of the written notice on his Twitter account, attaching the note, "The people of Cizre will never bow to you."

Cizre halkı size asla buyun eğmeyecek. pic.twitter.com/7cPQtoh4Rt

— Mehmet ZIRIĞ (@mehmetzr2) October 29, 2019

After the appointment of the trustee has become public, all roads leading to the Municipality Service Building have been barricaded by the police. 

The District Governor of Cizre Davut Sinanoğlu has been appointed as the "Acting Mayor" in place of dismissed Cizre Co-Mayor Mehmet Zırığ.

Releasing a statement, the Governorship of Şırnak has indicated that "there is an ongoing investigation against Zırığ on charges of 'praising the crime and the criminal' and 'propagandizing for a terrorist organization' and he faces 5 to 10 years in prison on charge of 'being a member of a terrorist organization' as per the Article 314/2 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) as part of an ongoing lawsuit at the Malatya 5th Heavy Penal Court."

What happened?

* The Ministry of Interior announced that they dismissed Metropolitan Mayor of Diyarbakır Selçuk Mızraklı, Metropolitan Mayor of Mardin Ahmet Türk and Metropolitan Mayor of Van Bedia Özgökçe Ertan on August 19.

Diyarbakır Governor Hasan Basri Güzeloğlu, Mardin Governor Mustafa Yaman and Van Governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez have been appointed as Acting Metropolitan Mayors, or rather, as trustees.

* As part of an investigation launched into the explosion that claimed the lives of seven people in Kulp, Diyarbakır on September 17, HDP's Kulp Co-Mayors Mehmet Fatih Taş and Fatma Ay were arrested with three others.

Kulp District Governor Mustafa Gözlet has been appointed as a trustee in place of Kulp Co-Mayor Mehmet Fatih Taş. In a statement released by the Governorship of Diyarbakır, it was indicated that there are five ongoing investigations and one prosecution against Taş.

* Shortly after the prison sentence of 7 years, 6 months given to Karayazı Co-Mayor Melike Göksu for "membership of an organization" was upheld by the Court of Cassation, she was arrested on September 18. District Governor Mesut Tabakçıoğlu has been appointed as a trustee in her place.

* On October 18, trustees were appointed to the Hakkari Municipality, Yüksekova District Municipality and Nusaybin District Municipality in Mardin. Hakkari Co-Mayor Cihan Karaman, Yüksekova Co-Mayor Remziye Yaşar and Nusaybin Co-Mayor Semire Nergiz were arrested.

While Hakkari Governor İdris Akbıyık has been appointed as trustee to Hakkari Provincial Municipality, Nusaybin District Governor Mehmet Balıkçılar and Yüksekova District Governor Osman Doğramacı have been appointed as trustees to Nusaybin and Yüksekova Municipalities.

* On October 22, trustees have been appointed in place of District Co-Mayor of Erciş in Van Yıldız Çetin and District Co-Mayors of Kayapınar, Bismil and Kocaköy in Diyarbakır Keziban Yılmaz, Orhan Ayaz and Rojda Nazlıer.

* On October 29, a trustee has been appointed to the Municipality of Cizre in Şırnak. While HDP's Mehmet Zırığ has been removed from office with this appointment, the district governor of Cizre Davut Sinanoğlu has been appointed as "Acting Mayor". (AÖ/SD)