The Turkish government appointed trustee to Mardin Municipality has suspended Ismail Taş because he had ‘shared’ a song in the Kurdish language six years ago.

İsmail Taş, who works as a veterinarian in the municipality, had shared a Kurdish song called ‘Rewiyen Xakurke’, by Evin û Jinda, on his social media account. A case had been filed against him but a court ruling “postponing the disclosure of the verdict (HAGB)” had been made.

Taş, when interviewed, confirmed that after the court’s ruling, in May 2019, he was reinstated after a petition he filed with the municipality (which was run by the Peoples’ Democratic Party) was accepted. However, after the appointment of a government trustee to Mardin Municipality on 19 August 2019, he has suspended once again and he was referred to the High Disciplinary Board with a request to “ban” him “from civil service”.

Stating that this action is unlawful, Taş said: “Eighteen months after my first suspension, an administrative investigation was initiated. But there is a statute of limitations. With an administrative investigation, it can be done within six months to a year after a staff member was suspended. However, this investigation was initiated eighteen months later”.