Istanbul district mayor detained in construction corruption probe

Turkish authorities have detained six people, including the mayor of Istanbul’s Üsküdar district, Sinem Dedetaş, as part of a corruption investigation into construction permits and building approvals, state broadcaster TRT Haber reported.

Prosecutors on the Anatolian side of Istanbul launched the probe following allegations of misconduct within the Üsküdar municipality. Dedetaş faces charges of bribery, extortion, and establishing and leading a criminal organisation.

Investigators allege that the mayor’s adviser and the head of the municipal company Kent A.Ş. accepted bribes from developers in exchange for issuing occupancy permits. Financial transactions involving the company’s contractors are being reviewed by Türkiye’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).

Police carried out coordinated raids at 11 locations, detaining Dedetaş along with five other suspects.

The case comes amid a broader wave of legal action against municipal officials in Türkiye. Arrest warrants have previously been issued for Çankaya (Ankara) Mayor Hüseyin Can Güner and İzmit Mayor Fatma Kaplan Hürriyet, while Adalar Municipality Mayor Ali Ercan Akpolat has already been arrested.

By Tamilla Hasanova