Turkish authorities detained Uskudar Mayor Sinem Dedetas and five others on July 29 over alleged irregularities in building and occupancy permits, NTV reported. Police conducted raids at 11 addresses in Istanbul and seized digital materials. Authorities say contractors were required to sign consultancy contracts to obtain permits; the opposition calls the probes politically motivated, while the government defends judicial independence.
Turkey Detains Uskudar Mayor and Five Others in Building Permit Probe as Crackdown Expands
Newly elected Uskudar Mayor Sinem Dedetas meets with local residents after receiving her mayoral certificate, in Istanbul, Turkey April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya
ISTANBUL — Turkish authorities on July 29 detained Uskudar district Mayor Sinem Dedetas and five others in an investigation into alleged irregularities involving building and occupancy permits, broadcaster NTV reported.
Those taken into custody included the district deputy mayor, a municipal secretary, an architect, a business agent and a contractor. Police carried out simultaneous raids at 11 addresses across Istanbul and seized digital materials from the suspects, according to the broadcaster.
FILE PHOTO: Newly elected Uskudar Mayor Sinem Dedetas, accompanied by her husband Baris Dedetas, walks at Uskudar Square after receiving her mayoral certificate, in Istanbul, Turkey April 4, 2024. REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya/File Photo
Allegations
Authorities allege the municipality coordinated the approval of building permits through a system that required contractors to sign consultancy contracts as a condition for obtaining permissions.
Political Context
The arrests mark the latest stage in a broader legal crackdown on municipalities run by the main party opposing President Tayyip Erdogan. The opposition has rejected a wave of investigations since 2024 as politically motivated, while the government maintains the judiciary is independent.
Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun; source: NTV. Editing by Jonathan Spicer.
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