Elected officials prevented from entering the usurped Municipality of Halfeti

The resistance against the usurpation of the municipality in Halfeti district of Urfa province continues on its 17th day. Members of the Municipal Council of the Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), who are taking part in the protest, were prevented from entering the municipality building.

The council members, as well as DEM Party Urfa MP Ferit Şenyaşar and Halfeti Municipality Co-Mayors Mehmet Karayılan and Saniye Bayram, were prevented from entering the municipality yard by the police. The municipal council members were not notified of any decision regarding the prevention. Stating that they had no documents regarding the decision, the police officers said that they were following the instructions of their superiors.

Municipality lawyer Mahsun Karakurt’s request to enter the building was also prevented on the grounds that it was ‘not deemed appropriate’. Lawyer Karakurt said, “There is no interlocutor, there is no law. Council members are arbitrarily denied entry without a decision. We are prevented from entering our workplace. This is completely arbitrary. No one accepts this lawlessness.”

Reacting to the obstacle, the ousted Co-Mayor Saniye Bayram said, “We do not want thieves. You appointed a trustee before and moved our district 20 years backwards.”

DEM Party MP Ferit Şenyaşar said that the municipality was turned into a police station: “Elected members of the council are arbitrarily prevented from entering the municipality. This is not a trustee administration but a coup.”

Co-Mayor Mehmet Karayılan said, “This persecution will end. Those who usurped the right to elect and be elected will lose. We do not have an interlocutor, and the security forces cannot find an interlocutor either. This is what arbitrariness looks like. They do not have the courage to face the people.”

The councillors pointed out that they would come to the municipality again tomorrow and chanted ‘The trustee will go, we will come’.