MARDİN - The co-mayors of usurped Derik, Mazıdağ and Savur municipalities have been remanded in custody.

 

As part of its increasingly ongoing political genocide operations against the Kurdish people and their elected representatives, the Turkish regime targeted co-mayors of the three district municipalities held by the Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) in Mardin province on November 15.

 

Co-mayor of Savur district Gülistan Öncü, co-mayor of Mazıdağı district Nalan Özaydın and co-mayor of Derik district Mülkiye Esmez were taken into custody during house raids, and replaced by trustees one day later, Nov. 16.

 

Procedures for the detained co-mayors and some employees from the three municipalities have been completed at the security directorate after 12 days. Earlier today, all the detainees were referred to court.

 

The three co-mayors have been remanded in custody in the evening hours.

 

A total of 24 municipalities held by the HDP have been seized by the Turkish regime since August, including 3 metropolitan municipalities; Diyarbakır, Mardin, Van, Hakkari, Yüksekova, Nusaybin, Kulp, Kayapınar, Bismil, Kocaköy, Erciş, Karayazı, Cizre, Saray, Kızıltepe, Yenişehir, Hazro, İdil, Akpazar, İpekyolu, Suruç, Savur, Derik and Mazıdağı.