UPDATE - Turkey will not tolerate terrorism: Interior minister

UPDATES WITH REMARKS OF RULING PARTY SPOKESMAN

By Ertugrul Subasi, Dilara Karatas and Cigdem Alyanak

ANKARA (AA) - Those who expect Turkey to tolerate the presence of terrorism are very mistaken, the country’s interior minister said Tuesday.

Speaking a day after three mayors in eastern and southeastern Turkey were suspended for allegedly supporting terrorism, Suleyman Soylu said that those who claim being elected brings impunity for terrorist crimes are wrong, adding that it is irresponsible to try to link democracy and terrorism through "legitimate channels."

The suspended mayors are from the opposition Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP), a party Turkey's government has accused of ties to the PKK, a terrorist group which has taken some 40,000 lives -- including women, children, and infants -- over the last 30 years.

"The fundamental role of law and democracy is to not let terrorism exploit the pure votes cast by the people," Soylu told reporters.

He added that those who want to twist both the law and democracy are "literally challenging the state," exploiting democracy, and staining the "pure votes" of the Turkish nation.

The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party Spokesman Omer Celik told Anadolu Agency that it is a disrespect to nation's will that opportunities gained after being elected with the votes of people are used for the benefit of a terror group.

"The main issue is that those elected by the votes of people is to serve the nation in accordance with the rules of state of law," Celik said.

He underscored that the mayors were suspended with an authority granted by Turkey’s Constitution, adding that such a measure was taken to prevent the authority provided by the public from being “polluted”.

On Monday, the Interior Ministry suspended the mayors of the cities of Diyarbakir, Mardin and Van -- Adnan Selcuk Mizrakli, Ahmet Turk and Bedia Ozgokce Ertan, respectively -- with state-appointed provincial governors of the provinces temporarily replacing them.

The ministry said the mayors already face cases in which they stand accused of crimes such as establishing or spreading propaganda for a terrorist organization or terror group membership.

* Writing by Jeyhun Aliyev