July 29, 2026, 12:18 p.mJuly 29, 2026, 12:18 p.m
The mayor of Istanbul’s Üsküdar district, Sinem Dedetas, was arrested along with five other people in a raid. The Istanbul public prosecutor’s office is investigating suspicions of bribery, abuse of office and the establishment of a criminal organization.
This was reported by the state news agency Anadolu. Dedetas is a politician from the opposition CHP party and was elected mayor of Üsküdar in 2024 with around 50 percent of the vote. The district had previously been ruled by the AKP and its predecessor party for 30 years. Dedetas is the first woman to hold this position.
weaken competition
The arrests in the opposition-run Istanbul town halls began in autumn 2024. In the local elections, the CHP received more votes than the ruling AKP for the first time. The imprisonment and deposition of Mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu of the Metropolitan City of Istanbul led to nationwide protests in the spring of 2025.
In addition to the opposition, other observers also see the numerous raids and detentions as a means by the government to weaken political competition. Government representatives deny this and point to the independence of the judiciary.
Long-time opposition politician
The 45-year-old politician has been active in the opposition CHP party since 2011. From 2014 to 2016, she was the first woman to chair the board of the Turkish Chamber of Marine Engineers. In 2019, she became the general director of Istanbul Ferry Services, which is under the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality.
She gave up her job in 2023 to become a mayoral candidate in the conservative Üsküdar district, which is also home to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s private residence. She was able to prevail against the AKP candidate in the 2024 local elections with a 7 percent lead. (sda/dpa)