"Don't give up on us" was the message received from Turkish local elected representatives of the opposition during the second fact-finding visit carried out in Türkiye on 23-25 June by Marc Cools, President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, and Bryony Rudkin (UK, SOC/G/PD), Congress co-rapporteur on local democracy in this country.
These local elected representatives were calling for an international support in the face of the continuing waves of arrests, dismissals or suspensions of mayors and local councillors. The delegation reaffirmed its support to them on behalf of the Congress.
The Congress has reiterated on several occasions that the pre-trial detention of local elected representatives without indictment, and their replacement by government-appointed trustees is unacceptable. It is a confiscation of the will of the people.
The visit complemented the one that took place on 5-6 May during which the delegation met notably representatives of the Government and of the Justice and Development Part (AKP). During the current visit, the Congress President and the co-rapporteur met with dismissed or suspended local elected representatives in Van, in particular Abdullah Zeydan, co-mayor of Van, and Hasan Akgun, mayor of the Istanbul district of Büyükcekmece, who is currently being detained in the Marmara penitentiary in Silivri. Both are Congress members and should therefore be able to exercise their mandate as mayors and take part in the work of the Congress, Marc Cools and Bryony Rudkin pointed out.
The delegation also met the co-Chair and representatives of the Dem Party in Ankara, and the chair of the Republican People's Party (CHP) branch of the Youth association in Istanbul, who is currently under investigation for posting a public video on his social networks.
Following the two visits, an information report on the follow-up to the Declaration adopted by the Congress at the March 2025 session will be prepared.
