The Interior Ministry has appointed a trustee (kayyum) for the Siirt Municipality following a Turkish court ruling that sentenced the Co-Mayor of Siirt to six years and three months in prison on Tuesday.

The Turkish Interior Ministry has dismissed Siirt Co-Mayor Sofya Alagas from her position and appointed Kemal Kızılkaya as the trustee for Siirt.

 Following the appointment of a trustee for the Siirt Municipality, a large number of citizens gathered in front of the municipal building, while security forces were deployed around the premises.

Security forces have raised Turkish flags on the municipal building and are preventing anyone from entering the premises.

On Tuesday, January 28, 2025, the Diyarbakır 5th High Criminal Court sentenced Siirt Mayor Sofya Alagas to six years and three months in prison during the seventh hearing of her trial.

The hearing took place without Sofya Alagas's presence; instead, her lawyers and several DEM Party MPs attended. The court reached a majority decision to sentence her to six years and three months in prison.

In the local elections held on March 31, 2024, Sofya Alagas was elected as the Co-Mayor of Siirt as the candidate of the People's Equality and Democracy Party (DEM), securing 49.6% of the vote.

Since the March 31 local elections, 10 mayors have been removed from office and replaced by trustees, including eight from the DEM Party and two from the Republican People’s Party (CHP).

The municipalities where DEM Party mayors have been replaced by trustees include Jolmerg, Merdin, Elih, Dersim, Xelfeti, Akdeniz, Miks, and Siirt.