At least four people detained as Kurds protest against ousting of mayors

At least four people were detained in Istanbul on Tuesday while dozens of protesters took to the streets against the ousting of three Kurdish mayors, the pro-Kurdish Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) said in a written statement. Ankara replaced three pro-Kurdish mayors with state officials on Monday and detained more than 400 people for suspected militant links in a step sharply criticized by opposition parties.

The Interior Ministry says the ousted HDP mayors of the three major cities are accused of various crimes including membership of a terrorist organization and spreading terrorist group propaganda. The HDP said the mayors' removal was a political coup and that it is a hostile stance against the political will of the Kurdish people.