Turkey: 41 mayors get 230+ yrs in jail for terror links

By Muhammed Boztepe

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey's Interior Ministry stated on Tuesday that the trial court sentenced 41 suspended mayors for a total of over 237 years on the grounds of terror and terror related crimes.

Out of 94 mayors, 41 of them were sentenced to over 237 years imprisonment for terror related crimes.

Prior to the March 31 local elections, Interior Ministry dismissed 94 mayors in accordance with the Constitution's law on municipalities concerning terror crimes and appointed the governors, deputy governors and district governors as deputies.

20 suspended mayors due to terror crimes are pending trial behind bars and 57 of them are released on pending trial.

One of those who was dismissed was acquitted.

In its more than 30-year terror campaign against Turkey, the PKK -- listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the U.S. and the EU -- has been responsible for the deaths of some 40,000 people, including women, children and infants.