Turkish authorities have detained the mayor of Istanbul’s Üsküdar district, Sinem Dedetaş, along with five other individuals as part of an investigation into alleged irregularities involving construction and occupancy permits, according to broadcaster NTV.
The detentions mark the latest development in an unprecedented wave of legal investigations targeting municipalities governed by Turkey’s main opposition party, amid an ongoing political standoff with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration.
According to NTV, those detained include Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, the municipality’s deputy mayor, the municipal secretary, an architect, a business intermediary, and a contractor.
Police carried out coordinated raids at 11 locations across Istanbul, seizing digital materials during the operation.
Prosecutors allege that the municipality operated a system under which construction companies were required to sign consultancy contracts in order to obtain building and occupancy permits.
Turkey’s opposition has consistently rejected the allegations since 2024, describing the investigations as politically motivated and part of a broader campaign against opposition-controlled municipalities.
The Turkish government, however, maintains that the country’s judiciary operates independently and that the investigations are being conducted in accordance with the law, Reuters reported.
