The people of Dersim took to the streets following the seizure of Dersim Municipality, governed by the Peoples' Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), and Pulur (Ovacık) Municipality, governed by the Republican People's Party (CHP), on the night of 22 November.

As protests continue, many politicians, parties, and activists have called for resistance against this trustee coup.

Speaking to ANF, Dersim co-mayor Cevdet Konak said: "On 20 November, a highly accelerated political decision was taken. They usurped the sovereignty of Dersim and Ovacık. They sentenced us to 6 years and 3 months on charges of 'membership in an illegal organization.' Dersim is familiar with these occupations; for over a century, throughout the history of the Republic, Dersim and Kurdistan have experienced the consequences of such occupations. At the same time, Dersim knows very well the tradition of resisting these attacks. In this context, we have been fulfilling our duties and standing with our people for the past 7 months.

We are in the streets, neighborhoods, and squares, fighting to uphold our values and the historical responsibilities entrusted to us. On the evening of 22 November, they surrounded Dersim Municipality in a manner reminiscent of the oppression of the 12 September [military coup] and the 1990s."

"We will not surrender our sovereignty to the occupying forces"

Konak underlined the Dersim people's determined resistance against the usurpation of their sovereignty, and added: "The people of Dersim have shown immense resistance in every neighborhood. The people of Dersim, who resisted in every street and square, were confronted by soldiers and police trying to intimidate them using their weapons. Let them know this very well: we will never surrender our will to the occupying forces. The people of Dersim are fully aware of the harm these forces have inflicted. This usurpation of sovereignty will never be tolerated. With our dances, our songs, and our slogans, we will continue our fight against the AKP-MHP fascism and their colonial governor to the very end."

"If this is a crime, I will continue to commit it tomorrow" 

Calling on the peoples of Kurdistan and Turkey to join the struggle, Konak continued: "We say to all the friends of Dersim: this is the land where Deniz Gezmiş, Mahir Çayan, Ibrahim Kaypakkaya, Mazlum Doğan, Sakine Cansız, Aysel Doğan, and their comrades were buried. For this reason, everyone must protect this land, this soil, this municipality, and its sovereignty. A mayor's duty is not only to clean the streets. A mayor always stands with the people. We have attended the funerals of our people's loved ones, protested the construction of dams and hydroelectric plants. They said these actions were crimes. I will continue to commit these so-called crimes today and tomorrow. We call on all our friends to stand with Dersim."