Adnan Selçuk Mizrakli

Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı (born in Siverek, 1963) is a Kurdish politician of the Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and former member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey and Mayor of Diyarbakir.

Adnan Selçuk Mizraklı
Mayor of Diyarbakır
In office
31 March 2019 – 19 August 2019
Assembly Member
for Diyarbakır
In office
24 June 2018 – 31 March 2019
Personal details
Born1963
Siverek
Political partyPeoples' Democratic Party
OccupationSurgeon, Politician

Biography

When Mızraklı was three years old his family moved to Eskişehir due to his father's work. He attended the primary and secondary school in Eskişehir. After completing his studies at the faculty of medicine he began working as a doctor in Diyarbakir in 1991. He worked as a surgeon and was involved in the Medical Chamber. He was also active in te Democratic Society Congress (DTK) since 2000.[1] In the General Elections of the 24 June 2018 he was elected to represent Diyarbakir as an MP.[2] In the Municipal election of the 31 March 2019 he was elected as Mayor of Diyarbakir with 62.93% of the votes.[3] He became well known amongst the opposition as he made public a luxury suite in Diyarbakir Municipality which was built before he took office.[4] Due to political pressure, he was dismissed as the Mayor of Diyarbakir on 19 August 2019.[5] The population of Diyarbakir protested for weeks against this decision.[6]

Mızraklı was detained on the 21 October 2019 and charged with being a member of terror organization.[7] He had a second trial hearing in February 2020 and is one of 23 elected mayors currently in detention in Turkey who are charged with connections to the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party.[8] The prosecution alleged that Mizrakli had attended funerals of PKK members.[9] Human Rights Watch stated that "the evidence in an indictment against him does not support the charge that he was involved with terrorism or committed crimes."[10] On the 9 March 2020 he was sentenced to 9 years and 4 months imprisonment for membership in a terror organization.[11]

References
  1. "A doctor in Amed enters Parliament for the HDP". ANF News. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  2. "Diyarbakır Seçim Sonuçları - 24 Haziran 2018 Genel Seçimleri". www.sabah.com.tr. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  3. "Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı Diyarbakır Büyükşehir Belediye Seçim Sonuçları - Adnan Selçuk Mızraklı Seçim Sonuçları". secim.haberler.com (in Turkish). Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  4. "Sacked Turkish mayors hit back over 'political' move". The National. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  5. "Turkey ousts three Kurdish mayors for suspected militant links, launches security operation". Reuters. 2019-08-20. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  6. "Protests Continue Against Mayor Dismissals". Bianet. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  7. "3 HDP Diyarbakır Co-Mayors Detained". Bianet. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.
  8. van Wilgenburg, Wladimir. "HRW: Turkey intensifying attack on pro-Kurdish party by removing mayors". www.kurdistan24.net. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  9. "Turkey Jails Kurdish ex-Mayor on Terror Conviction | Voice of America - English". www.voanews.com. Retrieved 2020-03-15.
  10. "Turkey: Kurdish Mayors' Removal Violates Voters' Rights". Human Rights Watch. 2020-02-07. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  11. Tuncel, Ruken (9 March 2020). "Ousted Diyarbakır Mayor Selçuk Mızraklı Handed Prison Sentence on 'Terrorism' Charges". Bianet. Retrieved 9 March 2020.
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