News Center- “The AKP and MHP government continues to usurp municipalities after Colemêrg (Hakkari) and Esenyurt,” said the written statement released by the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) Central Executive Board on the state-appointed trustees to the municipalities of Mardin, Êlîh (Batman) and Xalfetî (Halfeti).

 Attack on right to vote

Describing the state-appointed trustees to the municipality as a “coup”, the DEM Party Central Executive Board said, “It is meaningful in terms of timing because trustees were appointed on the anniversary of the parliamentary coup that took place on November 4, 2016, against the will of the Kurdish people. This is the repetition of 30 years of attacks to eliminate the Kurdish people in democratic politics since 1994. We would like to say again that this attack is a coup against the will of the people. Insisting on a trustee coup that has been defeated in every election indicates a political burnout (of the AKP-MHP government). The AKP-MHP government has turned into a regime that has the habit of usurping by using the judiciary and police to take what it could not win in elections. This is also an attack on the Kurdish people's right to vote and be elected.”

‘The peoples of Türkiye will never bow down this tyranny’

The people of Türkiye will never bow down to this tyranny, the statement said, adding: “The government lost in the last local elections and it will lose if it insists on this method. The trustee coup is a problem of democracy and freedom for 85 million people. If it is not stopped, it will be practiced in not only the Kurdish cities but also the municipalities across Türkiye. This coup is now a threat to the right to vote and be elected and the political will of all the peoples of Türkiye. We call on all people defending democracy to raise their voices against this coup.”

 ‘We will never bow down’

Mentioning the recent discussions on a new possible peace process, the statement said, “While we were expecting a solution and peace, an attack on the will of people took place. While we were expecting the problems to be resolved through dialogue and negotiation, a trap was set. We will never bow down and take a step back from our struggle. Our people will defend their own will under any circumstances.”