Gunning for the elected

The Interior Ministry cited investigations into Hazinedar over his assets and FETO as grounds. HDP parliamentarian İdris Baluken, for his part, was handed down a sentence of 16 years 8 months and 10 days for “membership a terrorist organisation” and “breaching the Law on Meetings, Demonstrations and Marches” in relation to his speeches at party events. HDP Co-Chair Kemalbay has spoken of a “travesty of the law.”
 
 
Following Ataşehir, CHP Beşiktaş Mayor Murat Hazinedar has also been removed from office. The Interior Ministry cited ongoing investigations into him in justification for Murat Hazinedar’s ousting. In the statement made by the Ministry, along with Hazinedar, municipal assembly members Hüseyin Avni Sipahi and Çetin Kırışgil were also stated to have been removed from office.
 
The reason for Hüseyin Avni Sipahi’s ousting is said to be, “Account has been taken of investigations being conducted into claims that people with applications relating to planning and licensing were directed to him despite his having no authorisation or duties, he intermediated by taking compulsory payments named donations and derived unjust material gain, and also there being serious increases of his assets.” The reason cited for Çetin Kırışgil’s ousting is, “Account has been taken of an investigation being conducted into claims that he intermediated in the transfer of unrecorded funds.”
 
The written statement made by the Interior Ministry is as follows:
 
“Beşiktaş Mayor Murat Hazinedar along with municipal assembly members Hüseyin Avni Sipahi and Çetin Kırışgil were removed from office on 04/01/2018 by the Interior Ministry in line with the power granted by Article 127 of the Constitution. By virtue of an investigation being conducted into his assets under the Law on Making Statement of Assets and Combatting Bribery and Corruption, an investigation being conducted into the offence of membership of the FETO/PDY terrorist organisation and also investigations being conducted into the taking of compulsory payments from people with business thus subjecting municipal services to compulsory donations, awarding illicit tenders and licences, letting public property be used for the gain of private individuals and deriving personal gain in return for this and other acts amounting to abuse of position, Murat Hazinedar has been removed from the office of Mayor of Beşiktaş.
 
In removing Hüseyin Avni Sipahi from his office as Municipal Assembly Member, account has been taken of investigations being conducted into claims that people with applications relating to planning and licensing were directed to him despite his having no authorisation or duties, he intermediated by taking compulsory payments named donations and derived unjust material gain, and also there being serious increases of his assets.
 
As to the removal of Çetin Kırışgil from his office as Municipal Assembly Member, account has been taken of an investigation being conducted into claims that he intermediated in the transfer of unrecorded funds.”
 
ELECTED WITH 76% OF THE VOTE
 
Ousted Murat Hazinedar was elected mayor with 76.3% of the vote in the local elections held on 30 March 2014.
 
Support for Hazinedar from Beşiktaş Municipality workers
 
Beşiktaş Municipality workers, protesting the removal from office of CHP Beşiktaş Mayor Murat Hazinedar, shouted the slogans, “Rights, law, justice” and “Don’t say silent. If you do, your turn will come.”