The following is an incomplete list of arrested mayors in Turkey. {, class="wikitable" , +Arrested Mayors !Mayor !District !Arrested !Released !Status !Charge !Party !Source , - ,

Mehdi Zana Mehdi Zana (born 20 December 1940 in Silvan) is an author and former Kurdish politician from Turkey. At: "KORT BIOGRAFI ÖVER FÖRFATTAREN OCH POLITIKERN MEHDI ZANA" He is prominent Kurdish political activist a former Mayor of Diyarbakır. Follo ...

Diyarbakır Diyarbakır (; ; ; ) is the largest Kurdish-majority city in Turkey. It is the administrative center of Diyarbakır Province. Situated around a high plateau by the banks of the Tigris river on which stands the historic Diyarbakır Fortres ...

, March 1980 , 1992 , released , , Independent , , - , colspan="8" ,

1999–2009

, - , Recep Tayyip Erdogan ,

Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...

, 27 March 1999 , July 1999 , released after four months , sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for citing a poem , Welfare Party , , - , Feridun Çelik ,

, Feb. 2000 , 28 Feb. 2000 , released , For allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). , HADEP , , - , Selim Özalp , Siirt , Feb. 2000 , Feb. 2000 , released , For allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). , HADEP , , - , Feyzullah Karaaslan , Bingöl , Feb. 2000 , Feb. 2000 , released , For allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). , HADEP , , - , colspan="8" , 2009–2014 , - , Ferit Çelik , Karliova , 5 April 2012 , , sentenced to 8 years , Sentenced for aiding and abetting the PKK , BDP , , - , Abdullah Akengin , Dicle , Dec. 2009 , February 2013 , imprisoned for over 3 years , In relation with the KCK trial , BDP , , - , Abdullah Demirbaş , Sur , Dec. 2009 , May 2010 , released on medical grounds , Among other charges were "using the Kurdish language in his official capacity" , BDP , , - , Aydin Budak , Cizre , 23-24 Dec. 2009 , , sentenced to 7 years and 6 months , , BDP , , - , Zülküf Karatekin , Kayapınar , 23-24 Dec. 2009 , , sentenced to 9 years , for being “member of an organization“ during a trial of members of the

Kurdistan Communities Union The Kurdistan Communities Union ( ku, Koma Civakên Kurdistanê, italic=yes, KCK) is a Kurdish political organization committed to implementing Abdullah Öcalan's ideology of democratic confederalism. Öcalan, Abdullahbr>Declaration of Democratic ...

(KCK) , BDP , , - , Nejdet Atalay ,

Batman Batman is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character was created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on March 30, 1939. I ...

, 23-24 Dec. 2009 , , sentenced to 1 year and 8 months , Sentenced for calling Members of the PKK "warriors of the Kurdish people in mountains" , BDP , , - , Etem Şahin , Suruç , 23-24 Dec. 2009 , , sentenced to 1 year and 9 months , For speaking Kurdish during his election campaign and violated the law concerning marches and manifestations. , BDP , , - ,

Leyla Güven Leyla Güven (born 6 May 1964, Cihanbeyli, Konya, Turkey) is HDP MP for Hakkari, co-chair of the Democratic Society Congress (DTK) and former mayor of the municipality of Viranşehir in the Şanlıurfa Province of Southeast Anatolia of Turkey ...

, Viranşehir , 29 Dec. 2009 , Sep. 2014 , more than 4 years in prison , , BDP , , - , Ferhat Türk , Kiziltepe , 28 De. 2009 , Feb. 2013 , imprisoned for over 3 years , In relation with the KCK trial , BDP , , - , Yusuf Yilmaz , Patnos , 13 Feb. 2010 , , sentenced to 7 years 6 months , For membership in an illegal organization in the KCK-trial , BDP , , - , colspan="8" ,

2014–2019

, - , Sevil Rojbin Çetin , Edremit , 14 Aug. 2015 , , sentenced to 10 years , For membership in a terror organization , DBP , , - , Dilek Hatipoğlu , Hakkari , 23 Aug. 2015 , , sentenced to 15 years. In Sincan prison , After having made declarations of self-rule in August 2015, she was sentenced for disrupting the "unity and integrity of the state" , DBP , , - , Seyit Narin , Sur , 24 Aug. 2015 , , sentenced to 11 years and 3 months, arrested in

Rize Rize ( Greek: ρίζα, Laz: რიზინი, Georgian: რიზე, , Ottoman Turkish: ريزه) is the capital city of Rize Province in the eastern part of the Black Sea Region of Turkey. Rize is a typically Turkish provincial capital wi ...

, prosecuted for terror related charges , DBP , , - , Diba Keskin , Erçis , 15 Oct. 2015 , , sentenced to13 years, 9 months , , DBP , , - , Leyla Îmret , Cizre , 22 Jan. 2016 , , prosecuted, in exile , , DBP , , - , Zeynep Sipçik , Dargeçit , March 2016 , , sentenced to 13.5 years. In Sincan prison , Convicted of membership in a terrorist organization , DBP , , - , Hazal Aras , Diyadin , 3 March 2016 , June 2017 , prosecuted , , DBP , , - , Abdullah Çalışkan , Saray , 20 April 2016 , , sentenced to 7 years, 6 months , for membership in a terror organization , DBP , , - , Mehmet Muhdi Aslan ,

İdil İdil ( syr, ܐܙܟ, Azakh, or ''Beth Zabday'', ku, Hezex, ar, آزخ, Azekh) is a city and district in Şırnak Province in southeastern Turkey. It is located in the historical region of Tur Abdin. In the city, there is a Syriac Orthodox Ch ...

, 25 Sept. 2016 , , , , DBP , , - , Abdurrahman Zorlu ,

Hani Hani may refer to: People * Hani (name) * Hani (producer), a record producer and remixer from New York City * Hani (singer), a South Korean singer and member of EXID * Hani people, an ethnic group of China and Vietnam Places * Hani, an island in ...

, 1 Oct. 2016 , , , , DBP , , - , Gültan Kişanak ,

, 30 Oct. 2016 , , prosecuted , , DBP , , - ,

Sabite Ekinci Sabite Ekinci (born 1970, Varto, Turkey) is a Turkish film director, teacher and politician of Kurdish descent. She has been the mayor of Varto and her documentary ''Corpses without souls'' won an award at the Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival. ...

, Varto , 10 Nov. 2016 , , Imprisoned in Sincan prison. , For membership in a terrorist organization. , DBP , , - , Ahmet Türk ,

Mardin Mardin ( ku, Mêrdîn; ar, ماردين; syr, ܡܪܕܝܢ, Merdīn; hy, Մարդին) is a city in southeastern Turkey. The capital of Mardin Province, it is known for the Artuqid architecture of its old city, and for its strategic location ...

, Nov. 2016 , Feb 2017 , prosecuted , , DBP , , - , Mehmet Ali Bul , Tunceli , Nov. 2016 , , sentenced to 8 years and 9 months , , DBP , , - , Hüseyin Olan ,

Bitlis Bitlis ( hy, Բաղեշ '; ku, Bidlîs; ota, بتليس) is a city in southeastern Turkey and the capital of Bitlis Province. The city is located at an elevation of 1,545 metres, 15 km from Lake Van, in the steep-sided valley of the Bitlis R ...

, 25 Nov. 2016 , , 7 years, 6 months imprisonment , , DBP , , - , Halis Çoskun , Malazgirt , 29 Nov. 2016 , , sentenced to 12 years imprisonment , , DBP , , - , Ismail Asi , Kiziltepe , 2 Dec. 2016 , , prosecuted, arrested in Sakran prison in Izmir , , DBP , , - , Seferi Yılmaz , Semdinli , 6 Dec. 2016 , , , , DBP , , - , Mehmet Ali Aydin , Kayapinar , 8 Dec. 2016 , , , , DBP , , - , Selim Kurbanoğlu , Yenişehir , 8 Dec. 2016 , , , , DBP , , - , Servet Tunc , Çukurka , 8 Dec. 2016 , , , , DBP , , - , Tuncer Bakırhan , Siirt , 16 Dec. 2016 , , sentenced to 10 years and 15 days imprisonment , , DBP , , - , Fırat Öztürk , Tutak , Jan. 2017 , , prosecuted , , DBP , , - ,

Sara Kaya Sara Kaya (born 1 January 1970 in Nusaybin) is a Kurdish politician from Turkey and a former mayor of Nusaybin. She is currently being held at the Tarsus prison in Mersin. Education and professional career Sara Kaya was born in Nusaybin, ...

, Nusaybin , Jan. 2017 , , sentenced to 1 year, and another 16 years imprisonment , , DBP , , - , Süleyman Tekin , Ömerli , 5 Jan. 2017 , , , , DBP , , - , Celalettin Bartu ,

Çatak Çatak ( ku, Şax, hy, Շատախ ''Šatax'') is a district of Van Province of Turkey, near the border with Iran. As mayor Abdurrahman Şeylan from the Justice and Development Party (AKP) was elected in the local elections in March 2019, Ekrem � ...

, 5 Jan. 2017 , , , , DBP , , - , Zeynel Taş ,

Bozova Bozova ( ota, بوزاووه ku, Hewenge) is a district of Şanlıurfa Province of Turkey, 38 km from the city of Şanlıurfa Urfa, officially known as Şanlıurfa () and in ancient times as Edessa, is a city in southeastern Turkey and t ...

, 6 Jan. 2017 , , sentenced to 11 years and 10 months imprisonment , , DBP , , - , Sadiye Süer Baran , Kulp , 6 Jan. 2017 , , prosecuted , , DBP , , - , Emrullah Cin , Viranşehir , 6 Jan. 2017 , , sentenced to 6 years and 3 months imprisonment , , DBP , , - , Murat Ruhat Özbay , Dogubayezit , February 2017 , , , membership in a terrorist organization , DBP , , - , Afüllah Kar , Koçaköy , February 2017 , , , membership for a terrorist organization , DBP , , - , Bekir Kaya ,

Van A van is a type of road vehicle used for transporting goods or people. Depending on the type of van, it can be bigger or smaller than a pickup truck and SUV, and bigger than a common car. There is some varying in the scope of the word across th ...

, 11 June 2017 , , sentenced to 8 years, 3 Months and another 15 Years imprisonment , , DBP , , - , Rezan Zuĝurlu ,

Lice Louse ( : lice) is the common name for any member of the clade Phthiraptera, which contains nearly 5,000 species of wingless parasitic insects. Phthiraptera has variously been recognized as an order, infraorder, or a parvorder, as a resul ...

, 17 Nov. 2017 , , sentenced to 4 years, 2 Months imprisonment , , DBP , , - , Şerafettin Özalp , Özalp , 7 May 2018 , 27 May 2018 , prosecuted , , DBP , , - , colspan="8" , 2019 - , - , Mehmet Fatih Taş , Kulp , Sep. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Melike Göksu , Karayazı , Sep. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , İrfan Sarı , Yüksekova , 15 Oct. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı ,

, 21 Oct. 2019 , , sentenced to 9 years, 4 months imprisonment. Having been imprisoned in Diyarbakir and

Kayseri Kayseri (; el, Καισάρεια) is a large industrialised city in Central Anatolia, Turkey, and the capital of Kayseri province. The Kayseri Metropolitan Municipality area is composed of five districts: the two central districts of Kocasina ...

he is currently in Edirne , Sentenced with being a member of the PKK , HDP , , - , Rojda Nazlıer , Kocaköy , 22 Oct. 2019 , , sentenced to 9 years imprisonment , Charged with being a member of the PKK , HDP , , - , Keziban Yılmaz , Kayapınar , 22 Oct. 2019 , March 2020 , sentenced to 7 years and 6 months but released , , HDP , , - , Azim Yacan , Ipekyolu , Nov. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Hatice Çevik , Suruç , 20 Nov. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Gülistan Öncü , Savur , 26 Nov. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Nalan Özaydın , Mazıdağı , 26 Nov. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Mülkiye Esmez , Derik , 26 Nov. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Yılmaz Şalan ,

Muradiye Muradiye ( ku, Bêgirî, hy, Բերկրի, translit=Berkri) is a town and district in the Van Province of Turkey. History The tenth-century Byzantine text ''De Administrando Imperio'' mentions "Perkri" belonging to King Ashot I Bagratuni at ...

, 10 Dec. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Dilan Örenci , Özalp , 10 Dec. 2019 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Nilüfer Elik Yılmaz , Kiziltepe , 16 Dez. 2019 , , prosecuted , Arrested in Tarsus , HDP , , - , Feyme Filiz Buluttekin , Sur , 23 Dec. 2019 , , sentenced to 7 years and 6 month imprisonment , , HDP , , - , Mustafa Akkul , Eğil , 25 March 2020 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Casim Budak , Alınova , 16 May 2020 , , prosecuted , , HDP , , - , Yaşar Akkuş , Iğdır , 19 May 2020 , , sentenced to 7 years and 6 month imprisonment , , HDP , , - ,

Ayhan Bilgen Ayhan Bilgen (born 28 January 1971, Sarıkamış, Kars Province) is a journalist, politician and former mayor of Kars from the Peoples' Democratic Party. Early life and education He studied political sciences at the Ankara University and Soc ...

Kars Kars (; ku, Qers; ) is a city in northeast Turkey and the capital of Kars Province. Its population is 73,836 in 2011. Kars was in the ancient region known as ''Chorzene'', (in Greek Χορζηνή) in classical historiography (Strabo), part of ...

, 2 Oct. 2020 , , released pending trial in June 2021 , Charged with organizing the Kobanî protests during the Siege of Kobani by the

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant An Islamic state is a state that has a form of government based on Islamic law (sharia). As a term, it has been used to describe various historical polities and theories of governance in the Islamic world. As a translation of the Arabic ter ...

(ISIL). , HDP , {{Cite web, date=2 October 2020, title=Co-Mayor Ayhan Bilgen arrested, trustee appointed to Kars Municipality, url=http://bianet.org/english/politics/231997-co-mayor-ayhan-bilgen-arrested-trustee-appointed-to-kars-municipality?bia_source=rss, access-date=2 October 2020, website=Bianet

References

Lists of mayors of places in Turkey Politicians arrested in Turkey Mayors of places in Turkey People expelled from public office Prisoners and detainees of Turkey Turkish prisoners and detainees