Dismissed Nusaybin Co-Mayor Nergiz Released

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Semire Nergiz, the dismissed co-mayor of Nusaybin district in Mardin province, has been released from prison after the court's examination on her arrest.

Nergiz was one of the four co-mayors from the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) who were detained in police raids on October 15. Nergiz and Ferhat Kut, the other co-mayor of Nusaybin, were arrested by a court on the charge of "membership of a terrorist organization" on October 17. Nusaybin District Governor Mehmet Balıkçılar was appointed as a trustee to the municipality.

The Mardin 2nd Penal Court of Peace examined the arrest of the co-mayors in a hearing. Nergiz and Kut, currently residing at the Elazığ Type-T Closed Prison, attended the hearing via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS). The attorneys of the co-mayors were present in the courtroom.

After the examination, the court released Nergiz on probation and imposed an international travel ban on her. The arrest of Kut will continue.

The court released Nergiz considering "the current evidence, the fact that the evidence has been collected, the defendant having a permanent residence, and the time she spent under arrest."

It ordered the continuation of the arrest of Kut because probation would be insufficient considering "strong criminal suspicion, the nature of the charged offense, the witness statement, the footage examination report."

Twenty co-mayors from the HDP in Kurdish-majority cities have been dismissed by the Ministry of Interior since the local elections in March. (HA/VK)