Ayhan Bilgen
{{short description|Turkish politician}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Ayhan Bilgen
| office1 = Mayor of Kars
| termstart1 = 8 April 2019
| termend1 = 2 October 2020
| successor1 = Türker Öksüz
| predecessor1 = Murtaza Karaçanta
| office2 = {{GNAT MP}}
| termstart2 = 23 June 2015
| termend2 = 8 April 2019
| constituency2 = Kars (June 2015, Nov 2015, 2018)
| birth_place = Sarıkamış, Kars, Turkey
| image = Ayhan Bilgen.jpg
| caption = Ayhan Bilgen (2017)
| country = Turkey
| alma_mater = Ankara University (BA)
Hacettepe University (MA)
| website = [https://ayhanbilgen.com.tr/ Personal website]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1971|1|28|df=yes}}
| children = 2
| party = Peoples' Democratic Party {{small|(until 2021)}}
}}
Ayhan Bilgen (born 28 January 1971, Sarıkamış, Kars Province){{Cite web|title=Ayhan Bilgen Kimdir ? - Ayhan Bilgen Hayatı ve Biyografisi|url=https://www.haberler.com/ayhan-bilgen/biyografisi/|website=www.haberler.com|access-date=2020-05-17}} is a journalist, politician and former mayor of Kars from the Peoples' Democratic Party.
Early life and education
Bilgen studied political sciences at the Ankara University and sociology at the Hacettepe University, also in Ankara.
In 2006, Bilgen was engaged in the Turkish Human Rights association Mazlumder in which activity he opposed the new Anti-Terror bill by the Turkish Government as it limited the freedom of expression.{{Cite web|title=New Anti-Terror Bill Incites More Violence|url=https://bianet.org/english/politics/78002-new-anti-terror-bill-incites-more-violence|last=|first=|date=|website=Bianet|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=17 May 2020}} In the same year he was elected as its chairman, and he kept the post for two years.{{Cite web|title=Ayhan Bilgen kimdir? Ayhan Bilgen nereli?|url=https://www.haberler.com/ayhan-bilgen-kimdir-ayhan-bilgen-nereli-13625147-haberi/|access-date=2020-09-25|website=Haberler.com|date=25 September 2020|language=tr}} In 2011 the newspaper he was the editor in chief of, Günlük, was closed by the Turkish authorities{{Cite web|title=CASE OF GÜDENOĞLU AND OTHERS v. TURKEY|url=https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{"itemid":["001-116134"]}|last=|first=|date=|website=European Court of Human Rights|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150725214213/http://hudoc.echr.coe.int:80/eng |archive-date=2015-07-25 |access-date=17 May 2020}} due to suspected support of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK).{{Cite web|title="Günlük" newspaper banned over alleged "terrorist propaganda"|url=https://ifex.org/gunluk-newspaper-banned-over-alleged-terrorist-propaganda/|date=2009-08-28|website=IFEX|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-17}} He was also a columnist for the newspapers Özgür Gündem and Evrensel.
Political career
He was elected to the Turkish parliament for Kars as a representative for the HDP in the general election of June 2015,{{Cite web|title=Kars Election Result 2015 - General Election 2015|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/en/secim-2015/kars-ili-secim-sonuclari|last=Şafak|first=Yeni|date=2020-05-17|website=Yeni Şafak|language=tr-TR|access-date=2020-05-17}} and again the snap elections of November 2015.{{Cite web|title=Kars Election Result 2015 - November 2015 General Election|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/en/secim-2015-kasim/kars-ili-secim-sonuclari|last=Şafak|first=Yeni|date=2020-05-17|website=Yeni Şafak|language=tr-TR|access-date=2020-05-17}} He supported the defense of Kobani against the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) in Kobani and was prosecuted for taking part in manifestations in October 2014{{Cite web|title=Arrested HDP MP Bilgen To Be Released Pending Trial|url=https://bianet.org/english/politics/189660-arrested-hdp-mp-bilgen-to-be-released-pending-trial|last=|first=|date=|website=Bianet|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908162423/http://bianet.org/english/politics/189660-arrested-hdp-mp-bilgen-to-be-released-pending-trial |archive-date=2017-09-08 |access-date=17 May 2020}} during the Siege of Kobani. He was arrested in spring 2017 and released in September of the same year. During his parliamentary career he advocated for Human Rights, Kurdish rights and the protection of the environment.{{Cite web|title=HDP Delegation Not Allowed into Dersim|url=https://bianet.org/english/politics/200304-hdp-delegation-not-allowed-into-dersim|last=|first=|date=|website=Bianet|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829162258/http://bianet.org/english/politics/200304-hdp-delegation-not-allowed-into-dersim |archive-date=2018-08-29 |access-date=17 May 2020}} In the local elections of March 2019 he was elected the Mayor of Kars.{{Cite web|title=Kars Election Results – March 31 2019 Kars Local Election results|url=https://www.yenisafak.com/en/yerel-secim-2019/kars-ili-secim-sonuclari|last=Şafak|first=Yeni|date=2020-05-17|website=Yeni Şafak|language=tr-TR|access-date=2020-05-17}} In May 2020, after several Municipalities won by the HDP were put under the authority of state appointed trustees, Bilgen received the support from dozens of human rights organization.{{Cite web|title=122 Institutions Express Support for Kars Co-Mayors Bilgen and Alaca|url=http://bianet.org/english/politics/223841-122-institutions-express-support-for-kars-co-mayors-bilgen-and-alaca|last=|first=|date=|website=Bianet|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=17 May 2020}} On 2 October 2020, he was formally arrested and deposed as Mayor of Kars{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=2 October 2020|title=Co-Mayor Ayhan Bilgen arrested, trustee appointed to Kars Municipality|url=http://bianet.org/english/politics/231997-co-mayor-ayhan-bilgen-arrested-trustee-appointed-to-kars-municipality?bia_source=rss|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2 October 2020|website=Bianet}} and replaced by a government-appointed trustee, the governor of Kars Province, Eyüp Tepe.{{Cite web|title=Ayhan Bilgen sacked by the ministry of Interior|url=https://www.milliyet.com.tr/gundem/son-dakika-icisleri-bakanligi-acikladi-kars-belediye-baskani-ayhan-bilgen-gorevden-alindi-6320077|date=2020-10-02|website=Milliyet|language=tr-TR|access-date=2020-10-02}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailysabah.com/politics/war-on-terror/trustee-replaces-kars-mayor-dismissed-in-pro-pkk-probe-targeting-2014-kobani-riots|title=Trustee replaces Kars mayor dismissed in pro-PKK probe targeting 2014 Kobani riots|website=Daily Sabah|date=2 October 2020|access-date=2020-10-02|language=en}} He announced his resignation from his party, HDP, on 13 December 2021.{{Cite web|title=Ayhan Bilgen, HDP'den istifa etti: Yolcu yolunda gerek|url=https://www.birgun.net/haber/ayhan-bilgen-hdp-den-istifa-etti-yolcu-yolunda-gerek-369212|access-date=2021-12-13|website=birgun.net|language=Turkish}} He founded a new political party in 2022.{{Cite web |last=Direkçi |first=Zelal |date=2022-03-31 |title=Ayhan Bilgen'in lideri olduğu Türkiye'nin Sesi Partisi, kuruluş dilekçesini İçişleri Bakanlığı'na verdi |url=https://medyascope.tv/2022/03/31/ayhan-bilgenin-lideri-oldugu-turkiyenin-sesi-partisi-kurulus-dilekcesini-icisleri-bakanligina-verdi/ |access-date=2022-08-30 |website=Medyascope |language=tr}}
= Legal prosecution =
On 25 September 2020, he was detained together with several prominent HDP politicians like former deputies Sırrı Sureyya Önder and Ayla Akat Ata due to the Kobani protests which were held in support of the Kurdish population in the Syrian town of Kobani in 2014, which was then besieged by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).{{Cite web|title=Turkish police detain dozens of HDP members, including Mayor Bilgen, over 2014 Kobane protests|url=https://www.duvarenglish.com/politics/2020/09/25/turkish-police-detain-dozens-of-hdp-members-including-mayor-bilgen-over-2014-kobane-protests/|access-date=2020-09-25|website=www.duvarenglish.com|language=en}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} After he was arrested in October 2020, he was transferred to the Ankara Sincan prison. He was found not guilty of terrorism related charges in the Özgür Gündem trial on the 15 October 2020.{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=HDP's Ayhan Bilgen acquitted in 'Özgür Gündem' trial|url=https://www.bianet.org/english/politics/232804-hdp-s-ayhan-bilgen-acquitted-in-ozgur-gundem-trial|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-10-18|website=Bianet}} On the 17 March 2021 the Turkish state prosecutor before the Court of Cassation Bekir Şahin filed a lawsuit before the Constitutional Court demanding for him and 686 other HDP politicians a five-year ban to engage in politics.{{Cite web|title=HDP indictment seeks political ban for 687 members, including Demirtaş, Buldan and Sancar|url=https://www.bianet.org/english/politics/241005-hdp-indictment-seeks-political-ban-for-687-members-including-demirtas-buldan-and-sancar|access-date=2021-05-02|website=Bianet - Bagimsiz Iletisim Agi}} In June 2021, he was released following the third hearing of the Kobani trial.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-16 |title=Turkish court rules to release former mayor, 3 others in Kobani trial |url=https://stockholmcf.org/turkish-court-rules-to-release-former-mayor-3-others-in-kobani-trial/ |access-date=2022-04-15 |website=Stockholm Center for Freedom |language=en-US}}
References
External links
- [https://ayhanbilgen.com.tr/ Personal Website]
- [https://www5.tbmm.gov.tr//develop/owa/milletvekillerimiz_sd.bilgi?p_donem=27&p_sicil=7148 MP profile on the Grand National Assembly website]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bilgen, Ayhan}}
Category:21st-century mayors of places in Turkey
Category:Members of the 25th Parliament of Turkey
Category:Turkish Kurdish politicians