The following is an incomplete list of arrested mayors in Turkey. +Arrested MayorsMayorDistrictArrestedReleasedStatusChargePartySourceMehdi ZanaDiyarbakırMarch 1980April 1991releasedIndependent Fikri Sönmez Fatsa 11 July 1980 died in prison on May 4, 1985 Revolutionary activity, “Communist Fatsa” charge Independent Ali Dinçer Ankara Sept. 1980 released CHP 1999–2009 Recep Tayyip ErdoganIstanbul27 March 1999July 1999released after four monthssentenced to 10 months imprisonment for citing a poemWelfare PartyFeridun ÇelikDiyarbakırFeb. 200028 Feb. 2000releasedFor allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).HADEPSelim ÖzalpSiirtFeb. 2000Feb. 2000releasedFor allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).HADEPFeyzullah Karaaslan BingölFeb. 2000Feb. 2000releasedFor allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).HADEP2009–2014Ferit ÇelikKarliova5 April 2012sentenced to 8 yearsSentenced for aiding and abetting the PKKBDPAbdullah AkenginDicleDec. 2009February 2013imprisoned for over 3 yearsIn relation with the KCK trialBDPAbdullah DemirbaşSurDec. 2009May 2010released on medical groundsAmong other charges were "using the Kurdish language in his official capacity"BDPAydin BudakCizre23-24 Dec. 2009sentenced to 7 years and 6 monthsBDPZülküf KaratekinKayapınar23-24 Dec. 2009sentenced to 9 years for being “member of an organization“ during a trial of members of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK)BDPNejdet AtalayBatman23-24 Dec. 2009sentenced to 1 year and 8 monthsSentenced for calling Members of the PKK "warriors of the Kurdish people in mountains"BDPEtem ŞahinSuruç23-24 Dec. 2009sentenced to 1 year and 9 monthsFor speaking Kurdish during his election campaign and violated the law concerning marches and manifestations.BDPLeyla GüvenViranşehir29 Dec. 2009Sep. 2014more than 4 years in prisonBDPFerhat TürkKiziltepe28 De. 2009Feb. 2013imprisoned for over 3 yearsIn relation with the KCK trialBDPYusuf YilmazPatnos13 Feb. 2010sentenced to 7 years 6 monthsFor membership in an illegal organization in the KCK-trialBDP 2014–2019 Sevil Rojbin ÇetinEdremit14 Aug. 2015sentenced to 10 yearsFor membership in a terror organizationDBPDilek HatipoğluHakkari23 Aug. 2015sentenced to 15 years. In Sincan prisonAfter having made declarations of self-rule in August 2015, she was sentenced for disrupting the "unity and integrity of the state"DBPSeyit NarinSur24 Aug. 2015sentenced to 11 years and 3 months, arrested in Rizeprosecuted for terror related chargesDBPDiba KeskinErçis15 Oct. 2015sentenced to 13 years, 9 monthsDBPLeyla ÎmretCizre22 Jan. 2016prosecuted, in exileDBPZeynep SipçikDargeçitMarch 2016sentenced to 13.5 years. In Sincan prisonConvicted of membership in a terrorist organization DBPHazal ArasDiyadin3 March 2016June 2017prosecutedDBPAbdullah ÇalışkanSaray20 April 2016sentenced to 7 years, 6 months for membership in a terror organizationDBPMehmet Muhdi Aslanİdil25 Sept. 2016DBPAbdurrahman ZorluHani1 Oct. 2016DBPGültan KişanakDiyarbakır30 Oct. 2016prosecutedDBPSabite EkinciVarto10 Nov. 2016Imprisoned in Sincan prison.For membership in a terrorist organization. DBPAhmet TürkMardinNov. 2016Feb 2017prosecutedDBPMehmet Ali BulTunceliNov. 2016sentenced to 8 years and 9 monthsDBPHüseyin OlanBitlis25 Nov. 2016Imprisoned between 2014 and 2022DBPHalis ÇoskunMalazgirt29 Nov. 2016sentenced to 12 years imprisonmentDBPIsmail AsiKiziltepe2 Dec. 2016prosecuted, arrested in Sakran prison in IzmirDBPSeferi YılmazSemdinli6 Dec. 2016DBPMehmet Ali AydinKayapinar8 Dec. 2016DBPSelim KurbanoğluYenişehir8 Dec. 2016DBPServet TuncÇukurka8 Dec. 2016DBPTuncer BakırhanSiirt16 Dec. 2016sentenced to 10 years and 15 days imprisonmentDBPFırat ÖztürkTutakJan. 2017prosecutedDBPSara KayaNusaybinJan. 2017sentenced to 1 year, and another 16 years imprisonmentDBPSüleyman TekinÖmerli5 Jan. 2017DBPCelalettin BartuÇatak5 Jan. 2017DBPZeynel TaşBozova6 Jan. 2017sentenced to 11 years and 10 months imprisonmentDBPSadiye Süer BaranKulp6 Jan. 2017prosecutedDBPEmrullah CinViranşehir6 Jan. 2017sentenced to 6 years and 3 months imprisonment DBPMurat Ruhat ÖzbayDogubayezitFebruary 2017membership in a terrorist organizationDBPAfüllah KarKoçaköyFebruary 2017membership for a terrorist organizationDBPBekir KayaVan11 June 2017sentenced to 8 years, 3 Months and another 15 Years imprisonment DBPRezan ZuĝurluLice17 Nov. 2017sentenced to 4 years, 2 Months imprisonmentDBPŞerafettin ÖzalpÖzalp7 May 201827 May 2018prosecutedDBP2019 - Mehmet Fatih TaşKulpSep. 2019prosecutedHDPMelike GöksuKarayazıSep. 2019prosecutedHDPİrfan SarıYüksekova15 Oct. 2019prosecutedHDPAdnan Selçuk MızraklıDiyarbakır21 Oct. 2019sentenced to 9 years, 4 months imprisonment. Having been imprisoned in Diyarbakir and Kayseri he is currently in EdirneSentenced with being a member of the PKKHDPRojda NazlıerKocaköy22 Oct. 2019sentenced to 9 years imprisonmentCharged with being a member of the PKKHDPKeziban YılmazKayapınar22 Oct. 2019March 2020sentenced to 7 years and 6 months but releasedHDPAzim YacanIpekyoluNov. 2019prosecutedHDPHatice ÇevikSuruç20 Nov. 2019prosecutedHDPGülistan ÖncüSavur26 Nov. 2019prosecutedHDPNalan ÖzaydınMazıdağı26 Nov. 2019prosecutedHDPMülkiye EsmezDerik26 Nov. 2019prosecutedHDPYılmaz ŞalanMuradiye10 Dec. 2019prosecutedHDPDilan ÖrenciÖzalp10 Dec. 2019prosecutedHDPNilüfer Elik YılmazKiziltepe16 Dez. 2019prosecutedArrested in TarsusHDPFeyme Filiz BuluttekinSur23 Dec. 2019sentenced to 7 years and 6 month imprisonmentHDPMustafa AkkulEğil25 March 2020prosecutedHDPCasim BudakAlınova16 May 2020prosecutedHDPYaşar Akkuş Iğdır19 May 2020sentenced to 7 years and 6 month imprisonmentHDPAyhan BilgenKars2 Oct. 2020released pending trial in June 2021Charged with organizing the Kobanî protests during the Siege of Kobani by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).HDP Gürbüz Çapan Esenyurt 26 Mar. 2004 19 May 2004 Released after 54 days in prison pending trial. Arrested over corruption and bid rigging allegations; sentenced to prison terms in subsequent trials. CHP 2024 - 2025 Hüseyin Sarı Erdek 20 Nov. 2019 25 Nov. 2019 Released after serving a brief sentence following conviction. Convicted for misconduct in office; sentenced to 1 year and 15 days in prison. CHP Ahmet Özer Esenyurt 31 Oct. 2024 CHP Cevdet Konak Tunceli 20 Nov. 2024 CHP Mustafa Sarıgül Ovacık 20 Nov. 2024 CHP Rıza Akpolat Beşiktaş 13 Jan. 2025 Charged with establishing and managing a criminal organization CHP Alaattin Köseler Beykoz 3 Mar. 2025 CHP Ekrem İmamoğlu Istanbul 23 Mar. 2025 CHP Mehmet Murat Çalık Beylikdüzü 23 Mar. 2025 CHP Resul Emrah Şahan Şişli 23 Mar. 2025 CHP Utku Caner Çaykara Avcılar 5 Jun. 2025 CHP Hasan Akgün Büyükçekmece 5 Jun. 2025 CHP Hakan Bahçetepe Gaziosmanpaşa 5 Jun. 2025 CHP Oya Tekin Seyhan 5 Jun. 2025 CHP Kadir Aydar Ceyhan 5 Jun. 2025 CHP Muhittin Böcek Antalya 5 Jul. 2025 CHP Zeydan Karalar Adana 8 Jul. 2025 CHP Niyazi Nefi Kara Manavgat 8 Jul. 2025 CHP

See also Crime in Turkey Democratic backsliding Human rights in Turkey Political repression

References