Erdoğan Signs Decree Reassigning Provincial Muftis Across 35 Turkish Provinces

A presidential decree has reshaped the leadership of religious affairs offices in 35 Turkish provinces. The appointment decree, prepared by the Presidency of Religious Affairs and signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, appeared in the Official Gazette.

Faruk Gürbüz, previously the mufti of Karaman, was appointed to lead the Gümüşhane provincial mufti’s office. The previous Gümüşhane mufti, Dr. Hayri Erenay, was transferred to Nevşehir. Born in Van in 1963, Gürbüz graduated from Dokuz Eylül University’s Faculty of Theology. He previously served as a district mufti in Gürpınar, Patnos and Edremit, and as deputy mufti of Van. He also held the provincial mufti posts in Hakkari and Karaman.

The decree also brought changes in Giresun and Rize. Giresun Mufti Selçuk Kılıçbay was appointed to Bolu, while Hakkari Mufti Hüseyin Okuş became Giresun’s new mufti. In Rize, Mufti Naci Çakmakçı was transferred to Yalova, and Yalova Mufti İlyas Yılmaztürk moved to Rize.

Van Mufti Dr. Mehmet Sırrı Şık was appointed to Şanlıurfa. Bitlis Mufti Kadir Koçak will take over in Van, while a new appointment for Bitlis is expected. The reassigned muftis are expected to begin work in their new provinces in the coming days.