On Monday 18 May, the spokesman for the European External Action Service denounced the suspension of five mayors in south-east Turkey, who were replaced by trustees.
“Decisions and actions taken by the Turkish authorities against municipalities with mayors from opposition parties remain of deep concern, in particular when they appear to be politically motivated”, he said in a statement.
Since August 2019, 45 mayors have been removed from office in the south-east of the country. Hundreds of local politicians, elected office holders and thousands of members of the pro-Kurdish HDP party have been detained on terrorism-related charges since the local elections in March 2019, and investigations have been launched against other mayors, the spokesperson said (see EUROPE 12310/3).
While the Turkish government has a “legitimate right to fight terrorism”, it is also responsible for ensuring this is done in accordance with the Rule of law, human rights, and fundamental freedoms, the spokesperson warned. He added that this should not be done for political reasons, applying broad anti-terror or criminal legislation.
According to the spokesperson, these measures, along with the excessive use of legal proceedings against local elected representatives, “seriously undermine the proper functioning of local democracy” and these measures should be repealed. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)