The co-mayors of the Karakoçan district of Elazığ province in eastern Turkey, both of whom are from the pro-Kurdish Democratic Regions Party (DBP), were arrested on corruption charges on Sunday.
Karakoçan Co-mayors Cennet Ayık and Burhan Kocaman were among 13 people detained on Sept. 29 as part of an investigation into corruption claims at the Karakoçan Municipality.
Ayık and Kocaman are accused of violating tax law and the law regulating tenders, obtaining economic gain unlawfully and misconduct in public office.
The 11 other detainees were released on probation on Sunday, while Ayık and Kocaman were jailed.
Over the past two months Turkey has seen the arrest of some mayors in the country’s predominantly Kurdish Southeast while the government, in a controversial move, appointed trustees to approximately 30 municipalities in the region.
