The following is an incomplete list of arrested mayors in Turkey.

Arrested Mayors
Mayor District Arrested Released Status Charge Party Source
Mehdi Zana Diyarbakır March 1980 1992 released Independent [1]

1999–2009[edit]

Recep Tayyip Erdogan Istanbul 27 March 1999 July 1999 released after four months sentenced to 10 months imprisonment for citing a poem Welfare Party [2]
Feridun Çelik Diyarbakır Feb. 2000 28 Feb. 2000 released For allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). HADEP [3][4]
Selim Özalp Siirt Feb. 2000 Feb. 2000 released For allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). HADEP [3][5]
Feyzullah Karaaslan Bingöl Feb. 2000 Feb. 2000 released For allegedly supporting the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK). HADEP [3][5]
2009–2014
Ferit Çelik Karliova 5 April 2012 sentenced to 8 years Sentenced for aiding and abetting the PKK[6] BDP [7][6]
Abdullah Akengin Dicle Dec. 2009 February 2013[8] imprisoned for over 3 years In relation with the KCK trial BDP [9]
Abdullah Demirbaş Sur Dec. 2009 May 2010 released on medical grounds Among other charges were "using the Kurdish language in his official capacity"[10] BDP [11][10]
Aydin Budak Cizre 23-24 Dec. 2009 sentenced to 7 years and 6 months BDP [12][13]
Zülküf Karatekin Kayapınar 23-24 Dec. 2009 sentenced to 9 years for being “member of an organization“[14] during a trial of members of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) BDP [13]
Nejdet Atalay Batman 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"[15] BDP [13]
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.[16] BDP [13]
Leyla Güven Viranşehir 29 Dec. 2009 Sep. 2014 more than 4 years in prison BDP [17][18]
Ferhat Türk Kiziltepe 28 De. 2009 Feb. 2013 imprisoned for over 3 years In relation with the KCK trial BDP [19][8]
Yusuf Yilmaz Patnos 13 Feb. 2010 sentenced to 7 years 6 months For membership in an illegal organization in the KCK-trial[20] BDP

2014–2019[edit]

Sevil Rojbin Çetin Edremit 14 Aug. 2015 sentenced to 10 years For membership in a terror organization[21] DBP [21][22]
Dilek Hatipoğlu Hakkari 23 Aug. 2015 sentenced to 15 years.[23] In Sincan prison[24] After having made declarations of self-rule in August 2015, she was sentenced for disrupting the "unity and integrity of the state"[25] DBP [26]
Seyit Narin Sur 24 Aug. 2015[27] sentenced to 11 years and 3 months,[28] arrested in Rize[29] prosecuted for terror related charges DBP [28]
Diba Keskin Erçis 15 Oct. 2015 sentenced to 13 years, 9 months DBP [30][31]
Leyla Îmret Cizre 22 Jan. 2016 prosecuted, in exile DBP [32][33]
Zeynep Sipçik Dargeçit March 2016 sentenced to 13.5 years.[34] In Sincan prison[22] Convicted of membership in a terrorist organization[34] DBP
Hazal Aras Diyadin 3 March 2016 June 2017 prosecuted DBP [35][36]
Abdullah Çalışkan Saray 20 April 2016[37] sentenced to 7 years, 6 months for membership in a terror organization DBP [38]
Mehmet Muhdi Aslan İdil 25 Sept. 2016 DBP [31]
Abdurrahman Zorlu Hani 1 Oct. 2016 DBP [31]
Gültan Kişanak Diyarbakır 30 Oct. 2016 prosecuted DBP [39][40]
Sabite Ekinci Varto 10 Nov. 2016[41] Imprisoned in Sincan prison.[24] For membership in a terrorist organization.[42] DBP
Ahmet Türk Mardin Nov. 2016 Feb 2017 prosecuted DBP [43][44]
Mehmet Ali Bul Tunceli Nov. 2016 sentenced to 8 years and 9 months DBP [28]
Hüseyin Olan Bitlis 25 Nov. 2016 Imprisoned between 2014 and 2022[45] DBP [31][46]
Halis Çoskun Malazgirt 29 Nov. 2016 sentenced to 12 years imprisonment DBP [47][48]
Ismail Asi Kiziltepe 2 Dec. 2016 prosecuted, arrested in Sakran prison in Izmir DBP [49]
Seferi Yılmaz Semdinli 6 Dec. 2016 DBP [50]
Mehmet Ali Aydin Kayapinar 8 Dec. 2016 DBP [51]
Selim Kurbanoğlu Yenişehir 8 Dec. 2016 DBP [51]
Servet Tunc Çukurka 8 Dec. 2016 DBP [51]
Tuncer Bakırhan Siirt 16 Dec. 2016 sentenced to 10 years and 15 days imprisonment DBP [52]
Fırat Öztürk Tutak Jan. 2017 prosecuted DBP [53]
Sara Kaya Nusaybin Jan. 2017 sentenced to 1 year,

and another 16 years imprisonment

DBP [54][55]
Süleyman Tekin Ömerli 5 Jan. 2017 DBP [56]
Celalettin Bartu Çatak 5 Jan. 2017 DBP [28]
Zeynel Taş Bozova 6 Jan. 2017 sentenced to 11 years and 10 months imprisonment[57] DBP [58]
Sadiye Süer Baran Kulp 6 Jan. 2017 prosecuted DBP [59][60]
Emrullah Cin Viranşehir 6 Jan. 2017 sentenced to 6 years and 3 months imprisonment DBP [58][61]
Murat Ruhat Özbay Dogubayezit February 2017 membership in a terrorist organization DBP [62]
Afüllah Kar Koçaköy February 2017 membership for a terrorist organization DBP [63]
Bekir Kaya Van 11 June 2017 sentenced to 8 years, 3 Months

and another 15 Years imprisonment

DBP [64][65][66]
Rezan Zuĝurlu Lice 17 Nov. 2017 sentenced to 4 years, 2 Months imprisonment DBP [67]
Şerafettin Özalp Özalp 7 May 2018 27 May 2018 prosecuted DBP [68][69]
2019 -
Mehmet Fatih Taş Kulp Sep. 2019 prosecuted HDP [70]
Melike Göksu Karayazı Sep. 2019 prosecuted HDP [71]
İrfan Sarı Yüksekova 15 Oct. 2019 prosecuted HDP [72]
Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı Diyarbakır 21 Oct. 2019[73] sentenced to 9 years, 4 months imprisonment.[74] Having been imprisoned in Diyarbakir and Kayseri he is currently in Edirne[75] Sentenced with being a member of the PKK[74] HDP
Rojda Nazlıer Kocaköy 22 Oct. 2019 sentenced to 9 years imprisonment Charged with being a member of the PKK HDP [76][77]
Keziban Yılmaz Kayapınar 22 Oct. 2019 March 2020[78] sentenced to 7 years and 6 months but released HDP [76]
Azim Yacan Ipekyolu Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [79]
Hatice Çevik Suruç 20 Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [80]
Gülistan Öncü Savur 26 Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [81]
Nalan Özaydın Mazıdağı 26 Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [81]
Mülkiye Esmez Derik 26 Nov. 2019 prosecuted HDP [81]
Yılmaz Şalan Muradiye 10 Dec. 2019 prosecuted HDP [82]
Dilan Örenci Özalp 10 Dec. 2019 prosecuted HDP [82]
Nilüfer Elik Yılmaz Kiziltepe 16 Dez. 2019 prosecuted Arrested in Tarsus HDP [83][84]
Feyme Filiz Buluttekin Sur 23 Dec. 2019 sentenced to 7 years and 6 month imprisonment HDP [85][86]
Mustafa Akkul Eğil 25 March 2020 prosecuted HDP [87]
Casim Budak Alınova 16 May 2020 prosecuted HDP [88]
Yaşar Akkuş Iğdır 19 May 2020 sentenced to 7 years and 6 month imprisonment HDP [89][90]
Ayhan Bilgen Kars 2 Oct. 2020 released pending trial in June 2021[91] Charged with organizing the Kobanî protests[92] during the Siege of Kobani by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). HDP [92]

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