List of arrested mayors in Turkey

The following is an incomplete list of arrested mayors in Turkey.

Arrested Mayors
Mayor District Arrested Released Status Charge Party Source
Mehdi Zana Diyarbakır March 1980 1992 released Independent [1]

1999–2009

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Recep Tayyip Erdogan Istanbul 27 March 1999 July 1999 released after four months sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for citing a poem Welfare Party [2]
Feridun Çelik Diyarbakır Feb. 2000 28 Feb. 2000 released For allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). HADEP [3][4]
Selim Özalp Siirt Feb. 2000 Feb. 2000 released For allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). HADEP [3][5]
Feyzullah Karaaslan Bingöl Feb. 2000 Feb. 2000 released For allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). HADEP [3][5]
2009–2014
Ferit Çelik Karliova 5 April 2012 sentenced to 8 years Sentenced for aiding and abetting the PKK[6] BDP [7][6]
Abdullah Akengin Dicle Dec. 2009 February 2013[8] imprisoned for over 3 years In relation with the KCK trial BDP [9]
Abdullah Demirbaş Sur Dec. 2009 May 2010 released on medical grounds Among other charges were "using the Kurdish language in his official capacity"[10] BDP [11][10]
Aydin Budak Cizre 23-24 Dec. 2009 sentenced to 7 years and 6 months BDP [12][13]
Zülküf Karatekin Kayapınar 23-24 Dec. 2009 sentenced to 9 years for being “member of an organization“[14] during a trial of members of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) BDP [13]
Nejdet Atalay Batman 23-24 Dec. 2009 sentenced to 1 year and 8 months Sentenced for calling Members of the PKK "warriors of the Kurdish people in mountains"[15] BDP [13]
Etem Şahin Suruç 23-24 Dec. 2009 sentenced to 1 year and 9 months For speaking Kurdish during his election campaign and violated the law concerning marches and manifestations.[16] BDP [13]
Leyla Güven Viranşehir 29 Dec. 2009 Sep. 2014 more than 4 years in prison BDP [17][18]
Ferhat Türk Kiziltepe 28 De. 2009 Feb. 2013 imprisoned for over 3 years In relation with the KCK trial BDP [19][8]
Yusuf Yilmaz Patnos 13 Feb. 2010 sentenced to 7 years 6 months For membership in an illegal organization in the KCK-trial[20] BDP

2014–2019

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Sevil Rojbin Çetin Edremit 14 Aug. 2015 sentenced to 10 years For membership in a terror organization[21] DBP [21][22]
Dilek Hatipoğlu Hakkari 23 Aug. 2015 sentenced to 15 years.[23] In Sincan prison[24] After having made declarations of self-rule in August 2015, she was sentenced for disrupting the "unity and integrity of the state"[25] DBP [26]
Seyit Narin Sur 24 Aug. 2015[27] sentenced to 11 years and 3 months,[28] arrested in Rize[29] prosecuted for terror related charges DBP [28]
Diba Keskin Erçis 15 Oct. 2015 sentenced to 13 years, 9 months DBP [30][31]
Leyla Îmret Cizre 22 Jan. 2016 prosecuted, in exile DBP [32][33]
Zeynep Sipçik Dargeçit March 2016 sentenced to 13.5 years.[34] In Sincan prison[22] Convicted of membership in a terrorist organization[34] DBP
Hazal Aras Diyadin 3 March 2016 June 2017 prosecuted DBP [35][36]
Abdullah Çalışkan Saray 20 April 2016[37] sentenced to 7 years, 6 months for membership in a terror organization DBP [38]
Mehmet Muhdi Aslan İdil 25 Sept. 2016 DBP [31]
Abdurrahman Zorlu Hani 1 Oct. 2016 DBP [31]
Gültan Kişanak Diyarbakır 30 Oct. 2016 prosecuted DBP [39][40]
Sabite Ekinci Varto 10 Nov. 2016[41] Imprisoned in Sincan prison.[24] For membership in a terrorist organization.[42] DBP
Ahmet Türk Mardin Nov. 2016 Feb 2017 prosecuted DBP [43][44]
Mehmet Ali Bul Tunceli Nov. 2016 sentenced to 8 years and 9 months DBP [28]
Hüseyin Olan Bitlis 25 Nov. 2016 Imprisoned between 2014 and 2022[45] DBP [31][46]
Halis Çoskun Malazgirt 29 Nov. 2016 sentenced to 12 years imprisonment DBP [47][48]
Ismail Asi Kiziltepe 2 Dec. 2016 prosecuted, arrested in Sakran prison in Izmir DBP [49]
Seferi Yılmaz Semdinli 6 Dec. 2016 DBP [50]
Mehmet Ali Aydin Kayapinar 8 Dec. 2016 DBP [51]
Selim Kurbanoğlu Yenişehir 8 Dec. 2016 DBP [51]
Servet Tunc Çukurka 8 Dec. 2016 DBP [51]
Tuncer Bakırhan Siirt 16 Dec. 2016 sentenced to 10 years and 15 days imprisonment DBP [52]
Fırat Öztürk Tutak Jan. 2017 prosecuted DBP [53]
Sara Kaya Nusaybin Jan. 2017 sentenced to 1 year,

and another 16 years imprisonment

DBP [54][55]
Süleyman Tekin Ömerli 5 Jan. 2017 DBP [56]
Celalettin Bartu Çatak 5 Jan. 2017 DBP [28]
Zeynel Taş Bozova 6 Jan. 2017 sentenced to 11 years and 10 months imprisonment[57] DBP [58]
Sadiye Süer Baran Kulp 6 Jan. 2017 prosecuted DBP [59][60]
Emrullah Cin Viranşehir 6 Jan. 2017 sentenced to 6 years and 3 months imprisonment DBP [58][61]
Murat Ruhat Özbay Dogubayezit February 2017 membership in a terrorist organization DBP [62]
Afüllah Kar Koçaköy February 2017 membership for a terrorist organization DBP [63]
Bekir Kaya Van 11 June 2017 sentenced to 8 years, 3 Months

and another 15 Years imprisonment

DBP [64][65][66]
Rezan Zuĝurlu Lice 17 Nov. 2017 sentenced to 4 years, 2 Months imprisonment DBP [67]
Şerafettin Özalp Özalp 7 May 2018 27 May 2018 prosecuted DBP [68][69]
2019 -
Mehmet Fatih Taş Kulp Sep. 2019 prosecuted HDP [70]
Melike Göksu Karayazı Sep. 2019 prosecuted HDP [71]
İrfan Sarı Yüksekova 15 Oct. 2019 prosecuted HDP [72]
Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı Diyarbakır 21 Oct. 2019[73] sentenced to 9 years, 4 months imprisonment.[74] Having been imprisoned in Diyarbakir and Kayseri he is currently in Edirne[75] Sentenced with being a member of the PKK[74] HDP
Rojda Nazlıer Kocaköy 22 Oct. 2019 sentenced to 9 years imprisonment Charged with being a member of the PKK HDP [76][77]
Keziban Yılmaz Kayapınar 22 Oct. 2019 March 2020[78] sentenced to 7 years and 6 months but released HDP [76]
Azim Yacan Ipekyolu Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [79]
Hatice Çevik Suruç 20 Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [80]
Gülistan Öncü Savur 26 Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [81]
Nalan Özaydın Mazıdağı 26 Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [81]
Mülkiye Esmez Derik 26 Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [81]
Yılmaz Şalan Muradiye 10 Dec. 2019 prosecuted HDP [82]
Dilan Örenci Özalp 10 Dec. 2019 prosecuted HDP [82]
Nilüfer Elik Yılmaz Kiziltepe 16 Dez. 2019 prosecuted Arrested in Tarsus HDP [83][84]
Feyme Filiz Buluttekin Sur 23 Dec. 2019 sentenced to 7 years and 6 month imprisonment HDP [85][86]
Mustafa Akkul Eğil 25 March 2020 prosecuted HDP [87]
Casim Budak Alınova 16 May 2020 prosecuted HDP [88]
Yaşar Akkuş Iğdır 19 May 2020 sentenced to 7 years and 6 month imprisonment HDP [89][90]
Ayhan Bilgen Kars 2 Oct. 2020 released pending trial in June 2021[91] Charged with organizing the Kobanî protests[92] during the Siege of Kobani by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). HDP [92]

References

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