Turkey removes the country's only Christian co-mayor

Februniye Akyol

A massive purge by the Turkish government of politicians and officials accused of being supporters of the network of Fethullah Gulen - the Turkish Islamic preacher, continued this week with the sacking of Februniye Akyol, the first Assyrian Christian to be elected co-mayor in Turkey, in the city of Merdin. Both she and her co-mayor, the Kurdish Ahmet Turk, were removed and replaced with a 'Qayyum' appointed by the central government.

The two were elected co-mayors of Mardin in 2014. Akyol Benno, at the time of her election, was following a master's degree on the Syriac language and culture at the Language Institute of Artuklu University in Mardin. In her speeches and interviews published on Turkish media, the young scholar had declared her intention to support policies to reduce city pollution and desire to fight against domestic violence against women and the patriarchal mentality that dominates the culture of that area. To date Turkey has removed 30 mayors suspected of having links with the PKK and Fethullah Gülen.

Fethullah Gulen, who is an exile in America has been accused by the government instigating the failed coup of July 15. Other officials who have been sacked as the government alleged that they supported the PKK Kurdistan Workers Party.

Source: Fides