Abdurrahman Tutdere
Abdurrahman Tutdere | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 19, 1976 Bağlıca, Adıyaman, Turkey |
| Occupation(s) | Attorney, politician |
| Years active | 2001–present |
| Known for | Mayor of Adıyaman, Member of Parliament for Adıyaman |
Abdurrahman Tutdere (born 19 January 1976 in Adıyaman) is a Turkish attorney and politician of Kurdish descent. He represented Adıyaman as a Member of Parliament for the Republican People's Party (CHP) during the 27th and 28th legislative terms and was elected as Mayor of Adıyaman in the 2024 local elections.
Early life and career
Tutdere was born in 1976 in Bağlıca, located in central Adıyaman. He completed his legal studies at the Erzincan Faculty of Law, part of Atatürk University. Since 2001, he has practiced as an independent lawyer and accredited mediator. His professional involvement includes serving on the board of the Adıyaman Bar Association as well as participating in the Child Rights Committee under the Union of Turkish Bar Associations.
Political career
Tutdere began his political journey in 1998 by joining the CHP's Adıyaman Provincial Youth Branch. Over time, he occupied several positions within the party, such as Chairman of the Provincial Disciplinary Board, member of the Provincial Executive Board, and Provincial Secretary. He secured a parliamentary seat for Adıyaman representing CHP in the 2018 elections, where he functioned as a Clerk member in parliament. After being re-elected during the 2023 general election, he contributed to the Human Rights Inquiry Committee.
In 2024, Tutdere was nominated by CHP as their candidate for Mayor of Adıyaman and won with 49.74% of the votes cast. This victory marked him as the first social democratic mayor of Adıyaman since 1989. He officially received his mayoral certificate on 3 April 2024 and commenced his duties shortly thereafter.
Legal proceedings
Following an investigation into allegations of "extortion by coercion," Tutdere was temporarily suspended by the Ministry of Interior pursuant to Article 127 of the Constitution and Article 47 of Municipality Law No. 5393. This action followed a ruling by Istanbul’s 8th Penal Court of Peace on 8 July 2025 (case number 2025/855), which imposed judicial supervision along with a travel restriction.
He was reinstated to his position on 5 August 2025.