Ali Yerlikaya
Ali Yerlikaya | |
---|---|
Mayor of Istanbul | |
In office 6 May 2019 – 27 June 2019 | |
Preceded by | Ekrem İmamoğlu |
Succeeded by | Ekrem İmamoğlu |
Governor of Gaziantep | |
In office 19 February 2015 – 26 October 2018 | |
Preceded by | Erdal Ata |
Succeeded by | Davut Gül |
Governor of Tekirdağ | |
In office 3 August 2012 – 19 February 2015 | |
Preceded by | Zübeyir Kemelek |
Succeeded by | Enver Salihoğlu |
Governor of Ağrı | |
In office 13 May 2010 – 3 August 2012 | |
Preceded by | Mehmet Çetin |
Succeeded by | Mehmet Tekinarslan |
Governor of Şırnak | |
In office 30 November 2007 – 13 May 2010 | |
Preceded by | Osman Güneş |
Succeeded by | Vahdettin Özkan |
Personal details | |
Born | Konya, Turkey | 11 October 1968
Children | Emir Yusuf Tomruk Yerlikaya |
Alma mater | Istanbul University |
Ali Yerlikaya (born 11 October 1968) is a
Prior to becoming Governor of Istanbul, Yerlikaya previously served as the governor of Şırnak from 2007 to 2010, as the governor of Ağrı from 2010 to 2012, as the governor of Tekirdağ from 2012 to 2015, and as the governor of Gaziantep from 2015 to 2018.
Early life and career
Yerlikaya graduated from the Istanbul University Faculty of Political Science in 1989, with a degree in Public Administration. He began work at the Ministry of the Interior as a candidate to become a Kaymakam (a district governor) in 1990. He served as the Kaymakam for the districts of Felahiye, Erzin, Derabucak, Hilvan and Sarıkaya during his early bureaucratic career.
Yerlikaya also served as a legal advisor to the Ministry of the Interior and the Chief of Staff at the Ministry of Health. He was also an executive board member of the Turkish Heavy Industry and Service Sector Public Employers' Union (TÜHİS).[citation needed]
Governorships
On 30 November 2007, Yerlikaya was made governor of Şırnak. Serving until 13 May 2010, he was appointed as the governor of Ağrı on the same day, serving until 3 August 2012. On 3 August 2012, he was appointed governor of Tekirdağ until 19 February 2015, on which day he became governor of Gaziantep. On 26 October 2018, he became governor of Istanbul until 4 June 2023.
Acting Mayor of Istanbul
As customary when a political position is in doubt, the Ministry of the Interior appointed the city's incumbent governor, namely Yerlikaya, as acting
İmamoğlu won the re-run with a substantially increased majority, thereby taking over from Yerlikaya.
Minister of the Interior
Since June 2023, he is the interior minister in the cabinet led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.[4]
Controversies
Comments about ISIL
While serving as
On another occasion, he was criticised for commenting on an ISIL suicide bomber in an apparently supportive manner after the bomber had allegedly surrendered to the police. He again rejected criticism, saying instead that his supportive words had been directed to the police operation.[7]
Banning of Beru
While serving as governor of Istanbul, he banned Beru, the Kurdish adaption of Dario Fo's play Faceless, shortly before it was to be performed by the theatre company Teatro Jiyana Nû.[8] He reasoned the play contained propaganda of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK).[8] Before, it had been performed both in Turkey and also abroad without issue.[8][9]
Personal life
Yerlikaya is married and has four children.
References
- ^ Congar, Kerem (7 May 2019). "23 Haziran'a kadar İmamoğlu yerine İstanbul Valisi Ali Yerlikaya görev yapacak". euronews.
- ^ "Ali Yerlikaya, İmamoğlu'nun basın danışmanını işten çıkardı". www.neohaber.net. Archived from the original on 23 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "İmamoğlu: Vali birileri adına cevap mı veriyor?". www.gazeteduvar.com.tr. 17 June 2019.
- ^ "Turkey's new government: Erdoğan changes almost all cabinet members". Gazete Duvar. 6 April 2023. Retrieved 5 June 2023.
- ^ "İBB Başkanlığı'na Vali Ali Yerlikaya vekalet edecek: IŞİD militanına "bey" diye hitap etmişti!". Archived from the original on 11 September 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Antep Valisi IŞİD'liyi övmedi, yargısız infazı itiraf etti". Archived from the original on 23 June 2019. Retrieved 23 June 2019.
- ^ "Bu vali orada durdukça Antep'te daha çok bomba patlar". odatv.com. 17 October 2016.
- ^ a b c Karakas, Burcu (17 October 2020). "Turkey bans Kurdish-language play in Istanbul". Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 26 August 2021.
- ^ "Ban on Kurdish-language play in Istanbul sparks condemnation". Archived from the original on 17 October 2020.