Turkey ousts its only Christian mayor
November 18, 2016
The only Christian elected as a co-mayor of a Turkish city has been ousted by the central government, as part of a purge following an abortive coup in July.
The government has blamed the coup on Fethullah Gülen, an unconventional Islamic reformer who is now living in exile. Officials who are seen as supporters of Gülen are being removed from office and replaced by caretakers appointed by the central government.
Among the thirty mayors who have been deposed, one is Februniye Akyol, an Assyrian Christian, who had been sharing authority as co-mayor of Merdin. Her co-mayor, Ahmet Turk, an ethnic Kurd, was also ousted.
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Further information:
- Purges continue, Turkey removes the only Christian co-mayor (AsiaNews)
- Turkish media see 'mentality of the Crusade' behind alleged coup leader (CWN, 8/10)
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