Mayor of Mersin’s Akdeniz district and four council members removed amid terror probe
Mersin's Akdeniz Municipality, whose mayor and four other council members removed amid terror investigation. (AA Photo)
Ministry of Interior announced on Monday the removal of Hosyar Sariyildiz, mayor of Mersin’s Akdeniz Municipality, and four municipal council members following their arrest as part of a terrorism investigation.
The ministry’s statement noted that Sariyildiz was taken into custody on Jan.10 on charges including “propagating terrorist organization activities,” “membership in an armed terrorist organization,” “violating the law on the prevention of financing terrorism,” and “breaching the law on assemblies and demonstrations.” On the same day, the Mersin 1st Criminal Court of Peace ordered his formal arrest.
Invoking Article 127 of the Turkish Constitution and Article 47 of the Municipal Law, the ministry declared Sariyildiz’s temporary suspension as a precautionary measure. Zeyit Sener, the district governor of Akdeniz, was appointed as acting mayor under Articles 45 and 46 of the Municipal Law.
Arrests extend to council members
The investigation also led to the arrest of four Akdeniz municipal council members: Nuriye Arslan, Ozgur Caglar, Neslihan Oruc, and Hikmet Bakirhan. The charges against them include “membership in the PKK/KCK armed terrorist organization,” “terrorist propaganda,” “violations of the law on financing terrorism,” and breaches of the demonstrations law.
In its statement, the ministry clarified that Arslan, Caglar, Oruc, and Bakirhan were also temporarily suspended from their duties under Article 127 of the Constitution and Article 47 of the Municipal Law.
Background of the investigation
The arrests followed an operation led by the Mersin Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, targeting six officials from Akdeniz Municipality, including Mayor Sariyildiz, Deputy Mayor Nuriye Arslan, and municipal council members. Police detained the individuals on Jan. 10, completing their questioning and referring them to the judiciary.
Sariyildiz and the four council members were formally arrested after their court hearings. Another council member, Yakup Danis, was released under judicial supervision.
The ministry emphasized its commitment to maintaining legal and administrative measures in cases involving allegations of terrorism-related activities within public institutions.
