Female Co-mayors of 11 municipalities held by the Democratic Regions Party (DBP) in Van province were first targeted by the Interior Ministry after the appointment of trustees to the municipalities. The ruling party put intimidation policies against female Co-mayors into effect and removed all from their offices. But it wasn’t enough for it; the ruling party arrested many of them and sent them to the prison with the political genocide operations. The Co-mayors were held in custody for months and they were tried for municipal activities and press statements they participated in and their post on social medias. Any indictment weren’t prepared for the detained Co-mayors for months. The Co-presidents had been tried for "disturbing the unity of the state and the integrity of the state" and then they were released after held in custody for months on demand of the prosecutor's office.

 

While the answer of “has the trustee policy failed?” question is being asked, there is concern whether jailed co-mayors women will be released or not. Van’s Gürpınar, Özalp, and Çaldıran districts Co-mayors, who had been jailed on charges of "disrupting the unity of the state and the unity of the country", "being a member of an organization" and "propagandizing of the organization" for months, were released while the co-mayors of Saray, Çatak, Erciş districts of Van are waiting to be released.

 

 Greenhouse, library, cultural house, kindergarten are crime factors

 

Van’s Gürpınar district Co-mayor Yıldız Çetin was released after six months in prison.  A trustee was appointed to the municipality on February 3. Yıldız was detained on 20 March and she was released on April 4 after 14 days in custody. But she was taken into custody again on May 1 upon the objection of prosecutor's office. After being questioned by Van Public Prosecutor's Office, Yıldız was sent to Van T Type Prison on charges of “being member of organization” on May 2. The municipal activities such as greenhouses, kindergartens, libraries, culture houses, and road construction were presented as evidence to her file.  

 

‘Yıldız was released from prison’

 

While the investigation continues six months after her imprisonment, the Criminal Court of Peace gave release decision for the Co-mayors.

 

‘Indictment wasn’t prepared against Handan for two years’

 

The indictment against Özalp Municipality Co-mayor Handan Bağcı, who was held in custody for 18 months and then released with an interim decision, was prepared two years later. Handan was detained by the police while going to the scene of the clash in the Tepedem neighborhood of the district on October 1, 2015.  Handan, who was released by the court, was arrested again upon objection of the prosecutor's office on charges of "committing offense on behalf of the organization", "opposition to officer" and "damaging public property" on October 9, 2015. Despite the fact that judges and prosecutors were froma religious group, all bill of exception for Handan were rejected. The indictment against Handan wasn’t prepared for 15 months and she was kept in the same ward of ordinary prisoners. Handan sent to the E Type Prison as results of bills of exceptions. The indictment prepared against Handan was rejected by the court. Then Handan was released from Bayburt M Type Closed Prison by the interim decision of the court on April 5. There is still no indictment for the case opened against her.

 

‘Only my voter can judge me’

 

Co-mayor of Çaldıran Municipality, Suna Atabay, who was elected by the people with 58.61% vote in local elections in Van, was arrested on November 2, 2016, for social media posts.

 

Suna, who was sent to Van M Type Closed Prison, then was exiled to Ankara Sincan Closed Prison. An indictment has been prepared against Suna, who was held in prison for eight months, by Van Heavy Penal Court on charges of “being member of the organization" and "propagandizing of the organization" for her posts on social media.

 

Suna, who was released after the first hearing, defended her as, "I was elected by the will of the people, and only my voters can judge me. I have represented will of the people by getting a large vote of a district. I reflected the color of women in every field by carrying out the big projects of our Municipality against the violence against women.”

 

15 years demanded in the indictment prepared by Fetullah’s Terror Organization (FETÖ) prosecutor      

 

Edremit Municipality Co-mayor Sevil Rojbin Çetin, was elected as Co-mayor by getting 50.91% votes of the people in local elections in 2014. Sevil was welcomed with the great interests by people from every section of society particularly by women for her works in the Edremit district.

 

She was jailed on charges of "attempting to disrupt the constitutional order" and "disrupting the unity of the State and the unity of the country" on August 24, 2015. Rojbin was held in prison for 14 months as a result of the indictment prepared by prosecutor, who was tried for being member of FETÖ. And then she was released on October 20, 2016. After the hearing, Rojbin has faced aggravated life and 15 years imprisonment on charges of "disrupting the unity of the state, unity of the country" and "being a member of organization.”