The mandate to serve as mayor of Van was given to Abdullah Arvas on Tuesday, the runner-up from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), instead of Abdullah Zeydan, the candidate from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), who won the election.
The DEM Party called the move a “coup by the AKP government” in a statement on X on Tuesday while calling on people to show solidarity with the party.
The mandate to serve as mayor of Van was given to Abdullah Arvas on Tuesday, the runner-up from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP), instead of Abdullah Zeydan, the candidate from the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), who won the election.
The DEM Party called the move a “coup by the AKP government” in a statement on X on Tuesday while calling on people to show solidarity with the party.
Statement by the DEM Party: "We urge the AKP Government to Respect the Will of the People in Van" pic.twitter.com/5IdaV7FEzB
— DEM Party Foreign Affairs (@DEM_Diplomacy) April 2, 2024
According to Turkish media reports, the provincial election authority in Van concluded following a review conducted at Arvas’s request that Zeydan did not meet the eligibility criteria for the mayoral candidacy and awarded the mandate to the AKP’s Arvas.
The decision comes after the DEM Party on Tuesday announced that a court revoked Zeydan’s right to run for election two days before the March 31 local polls, in a move seen by many as disregarding the will of the people in Van.
Zeydan completed all legal procedures and applied to Turkey’s election authority, the Supreme Election Board (YSK), which approved his candidacy, according to a statement by the party.
The party said that despite his candidacy being approved, the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court revoked Zeydan’s right to run for election upon an objection filed by the Justice Ministry just five minutes before the end of office hours on March 29, the last weekday before the election.
In 2022 the same court restored certain rights to Zeydan, such as the right to vote and be elected and to exercise other political rights. These rights, as outlined in Article 53 of the Turkish Penal Code, are typically withheld from individuals sentenced to imprisonment for intentional offenses until they have served their sentence.
The DEM Party further stated that the court denied the politician’s request to have his rights restored on the same day of their revocation. Moreover, it immediately notified the YSK of its decision before it became final, thus pre-empting the right to appeal and lodge an objection.
“Abdullah Zeydan is the co-mayor of the Van Metropolitan Municipality by the will of the people. We invite everyone to respect this truth,” DEM added in its statement, underlining that the court’s decision was “unlawful” and disregarded the will of the people of Van.
DEM Party co-chair Tuncer Bakırhan also said the court’s decision on Zeydan was “an attack on democratic life.”
“If the will of the people of Van is not protected today, tomorrow the will of another city will be disregarded. For democracy, law and justice, everyone should defend the will of the people of Van and … stand against this political trap and ambush,” he added.
Eş Genel Başkanlarımız, Van'da yapılan seçim darbesine ilişkin YSK önünde açıklama yapıyor
https://t.co/MFkj4YIVLP— DEM Parti (@DEMGenelMerkezi) April 2, 2024