The spokesman of the European External Action Service (EEAS), the European Parliament's rapporteur for Turkey, Kati Piri (S&D, Netherlands), and the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, Anders Knape, denounced on Tuesday 20 August the temporary suspension by the Turkish authorities of three mayors of the pro-Kurdish HDP party in three cities in the south-east of the country - Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van - and their replacement with governors (see EUROPE 12249/14).
This is not the first time that mayors have been suspended in Turkey on the grounds of the fight against terrorism (see EUROPE 11621/23). More than 400 people, mainly employees and members of municipal councils, were also arrested in connection with a terrorism-related investigation.
"The replacement of mayors Selçuk Mızraklı, Bedia Özgökçe Ertan and Ahmet Türk by state governors is very worrying because it calls into question respect for the democratic results of the 31 March elections. The dismissal and detention of local elected officials and the appointment of administrators deprive voters of political representation at local level and seriously threaten to undermine local democracy", warned the EEAS spokesman in a statement.
For Mrs Piri, "The people’s will in Turkey is apparently only respected as long as it serves the ruling AKP [President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's party]. (...) What the AKP couldn’t gain through elections, it is now gaining by undemocratic and plainly unlawful means". "The Kurdish people also have fundamental rights. Legitimate and democratic opposition to the government’s policies cannot be labelled as terrorism", she added, urging the Turkish government to reverse its "unjustified decision”.
“In the past, the Congress has expressed its concern about the excessive use of judicial proceedings against local elected officials in Turkey and their replacement by appointed officials. This practice seriously undermines the proper functioning of local democracy,” Mr Knape said, calling on the Turkish authorities to restore without delay the ability of municipal councils to choose new mayors.
The EEAS spokesman also recalled that, while the Turkish government has a legitimate right to fight terrorism, it must do so in accordance with the rule of law and fundamental freedoms and "not for political reasons, by applying general anti-terrorist or criminal legislation”. "Turkey must repeal measures that hinder the functioning of local democracy, in line with the recommendations of the Venice Commission and Turkey's commitment to the European Charter of Local Self-Government", he added.
He reiterated the EU's call for the urgent resumption of a credible political process to achieve a peaceful and lasting solution to the Kurdish question. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)