Global criticism against arrests and expulsions of HDP-affiliated mayors in Turkey
Story summary
The EU Special Reporter in Turkey affairs and Human Rights Watch have called the expel and arrest of four pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) mayors in Turkey a violation of the rights of voters and principles of democracy.
The Turkish government has expelled and arrested four other Kurdish mayors in the country in line with the expulsion and arrest of elected mayors from the HDP in the country's Kurdish regions.
Nacho Sanchez Amur, the European Parliament's Special Rapporteur in Turkish affairs, called on Ankara to refrain from the arrest of elected mayors without a court order.
“Local councils should have, at least, the opportunity to choose a temporary mayor from among their members. The principles of democracy are in danger,” he wrote on his Twitter page.
The Associated Press reported that Human Rights Watch also described Turkey's arrest of the elected HDP mayors a violation of the rights of Turkey Kurdish voters.
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