30.10.2026 20:40
New Party Chairman Özgür Özel visited Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, who was released under a house arrest decision, at her home. Speaking after the visit, Özel reacted to the investigation process and emphasized the will of the people of Üsküdar as expressed at the ballot box. Özel said, “Keeping Mayor Sinem inside this house is to defy Üsküdar.”
New Party Chairman Özgür Özel paid a get-well visit to Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, who was released under a house arrest decision. Speaking to members of the press after the visit, Özel reacted to the accusations against Dedetaş and the investigation process.
REACTION TO THE INVESTIGATION PROCESS
Arguing that a mayor who had won the public's appreciation in Üsküdar was targeted with unfounded allegations, Özel stated that the process was unacceptable.
Özel said, “You will accuse a mayor like Mayor Sinem, who has become the darling of a district and won appreciation across Turkey, of theft and corruption. Four waves of operations will be carried out, but nothing will come out about the mayor. Then you will have someone slander her to save himself and have her put inside. This is unacceptable.”
“THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE OF ÜSKÜDAR CANNOT BE DEFIED”
Drawing attention to the will demonstrated by the people of Üsküdar in the elections, Özel also reacted to the mayor being held under house arrest.
Özel said, “When we put a ballot box before the people of Üsküdar, they made their decision by a large margin. If this is a republic, if the regime's name is democracy, what the people say goes. The people cannot be defied. Keeping Mayor Sinem inside this house is defying Üsküdar.”
Sinem Dedetaş was arrested on July 31 as part of an investigation into allegations of irregularities in the municipality's building permit and occupancy processes, and was removed from her post as Üsküdar Mayor on August 1, 2026.