Türkiye’s Tunceli co-mayor detained over alleged PKK terrorist group connection
Tunceli’s Co-Mayors Birsen Orhan and Cevdet Konak (Photo via X)
Turkish city Tunceli’s co-mayor, Birsen Orhan, has been detained after urging the public to protest the appointment of a trustee to replace the city’s elected mayor, Cevdet Konak, who was sentenced for alleged ties to the PKK terrorist organization.
The Turkish Ministry of Interior announced the dismissal of both Cevdet Konak, a member of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM) and Mustafa Sarigul, the mayor of Ovacik.
The ministry’s statement noted that Cevdet Konak had been sentenced to six years and three months in prison for “membership in the PKK/KCK armed terrorist organization,” based on a ruling by the Tunceli 1st Heavy Penal Court.
PKK terrorist organization
The PKK terror group, which has offshoots in Iraq and Syria, has been waging a terror campaign against Türkiye for more than 40 years.
Listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union, the group has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women and children.
