AKP promotion at the Presidency of Religious Affairs! He couldn't become an MP, but was rewarded after failing to get elected

Report: Nagihan Yılkın

Appointments made at the Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet), which has been on the agenda due to its expenditures despite the austerity circular, continue to attract attention. The promotion of an AKP-affiliated figure has sparked criticism that it is another example of the politicization within the Presidency of Religious Affairs.

New scandals continue to emerge regarding the appointments made at the Presidency of Religious Affairs in August via presidential decree.

It has emerged that Durmuş Ayvaz, who was appointed as the Kayseri Provincial Mufti, was an AKP parliamentary candidate.

Ayvaz, who had experience as a mufti in various districts, saw a rapid rise after resigning to become an AKP parliamentary candidate in the 2015 elections.

Before the 2015 elections, Durmuş Ayvaz, who served as a mufti in various districts, resigned from his post to become an AKP parliamentary candidate for Bursa before the June 7, 2015 elections.

When Ayvaz failed to become an MP for the AKP, he returned to the Presidency of Religious Affairs.

Appointed as the Deputy Provincial Mufti of Bursa after the election, Ayvaz was later appointed as the Provincial Mufti of Amasya. Most recently, Ayvaz was appointed as the Kayseri Provincial Mufti by the Presidential Decree dated August 10, 2024.

THE BACKYARD OF POLITICS

Sources from the Presidency of Religious Affairs described the fact that Ayvaz was promoted to provincial mufti of a metropolitan city despite having resigned as a district mufti and openly expressing his political preference through brochures as the most concrete example of the institution being turned into a backyard for politics.

On the other hand, it was observed that this contradicts the previous statement by the Presidency of Religious Affairs, which claimed: "The Presidency of Religious Affairs carries out its duties by remaining outside of all political views and opinions, in accordance with Article 136 of the Constitution."