A local mayor from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) in İzmir province has punished two dissidents, transferring one to the infrastructure department and putting another in charge of cleaning a public urinal, according to the local Yeni Asır daily.

The two municipal officials, Vedat Gezer and Mine Bilir Şahin, worked at the Güzelbahçe Municipality Culture and Social Affair Department in İzmir until Gezer decided to run against the local CHP party chairman, Kazım Çam, during the election of local party delegates last Sunday and Şahin supported him. Gezer, as the deputy chairman of the district, also ran to replace Çam as the district party chairman with the motto, "Open the way for the youth."

Taking his cue from Çam, Güzelbahçe Mayor Mustafa İnce demonstrated that the CHP tolerates no dissent within its organization, removing Gezer from his post at the Culture and Social Affair Department and transferring him to the Municipal Infrastructure Department.

Şahin's fate was even worse. She is now in charge of cleaning the public urinals located next to the fishermen's lodges from 3 p.m. to 12 a.m.

Speaking to Yeni Asır, Şahin said she couldn't believe what had happened.

"This is against women's rights. What did I do to deserve this? The only reason why I was exiled to the toilets is because I opposed them," she said.

She added that the transfer was nothing but revenge for her support of Gezer.

"It is one thing to transfer me to the parks and gardens or even the urinals within the municipal building. Their decision to transfer me to the public urinals right next to fish restaurants that serve alcohol is a payback for what I did. They want me to resign. I will file a complaint against them," she said.

She said such people hurt the party more than any other outside factor, adding that some CHP deputies had called and said they would support her. Gezer, meanwhile, said his aim was to end the injustice within the party and open the way for young people to rise within the party hierarchy.