Sinem Dedetaş, who was elected mayor of Istanbul’s Üsküdar district for the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) in 2024, joined the growing list of mayors detained in corruption investigations on Wednesday.
Dedetaş is among six suspects facing allegations of bribery, corruption, and operating a criminal network. The other suspects are municipal officials. In a written statement, the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office on Istanbul’s Asian side, where Üsküdar is located, said the detentions stemmed from an investigation launched following tipoffs and expanded through the testimony of alleged victims of corruption as well as suspects who cooperated with authorities.
Prosecutors allege that Kent A.Ş., a municipal subsidiary with no legal authority over the issuance of building permits, was nevertheless involved in the permitting process. According to the investigation, its staff established a secret communication network in which land parcels and buildings requiring permits were color-coded to coordinate the process.
According to the statement, records from Turkey’s Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) showed that Kent A.Ş. and contractors signed numerous sham "consultancy services" agreements totaling more than TL 1 million. Through these agreements, prosecutors allege that more than TL 361 million was unlawfully obtained from contractors who were coerced into making payments in exchange for building permits as part of the activities of an organized criminal group operating within Üsküdar Municipality and Kent A.Ş. The statement said these findings were supported by testimony from affected contractors and reports by the Provincial Directorate of Environment and Urbanization.
The statement further said that a referral report prepared by inspectors from the Ministry of Interior concluded that Dedetaş played a decisive role in establishing an organizational link between Üsküdar Municipality and Kent A.Ş. that went beyond the normal relationship between a municipality and its subsidiary. According to the report, contractors were allegedly forced to sign sham agreements with Kent A.Ş. as a prerequisite for obtaining building permits, thereby generating unofficial income.
The statement also alleged that Dedetaş’s involvement in delaying procedures and contributing to pressure on contractors constituted the criminal offense of extortion by a public official. It added that responsibility for issuing occupancy permits rested with the Üsküdar Municipality Building Control Directorate.
According to prosecutors, meetings chaired by Kent A.Ş. General Manager N.A. were held to determine how much money would be demanded from contractors in exchange for occupancy permits, depending on the nature of each building’s regulatory violations. Prosecutors allege that part of the bribe money was distributed among municipal personnel according to their positions and authority, while another portion was delivered in cash to N.A. to cover expenses requested by Dedetaş’s office.
