Turkey Ousts Elected Kurdish Mayor of Siirt and Detains Journalists

Turkish authorities detained a prominent investigative journalist and four colleagues and removed an elected pro-Kurdish mayor from office, in an escalation of the government's crackdown on the opposition.

Sofya Alagas, the elected mayor of the largely Kurdish city of Siirt, was ousted and replaced by the regional governor, citing a recent terrorism-related conviction. She became the eighth DEM Party mayor removed from office since the March 2024 local elections over alleged links to Kurdish rebels, the party said.

The moves drew international concern over the erosion of democratic processes in predominantly Kurdish regions. (Associated Press)