Sinem Dedetaş, the opposition mayor of Istanbul's Üsküdar district, was detained alongside five others including deputy mayor Ceyhun Ünlü on corruption charges, authorities said Wednesday.
The Istanbul prosecutor's office is investigating suspected bribery, extortion and the formation of a criminal organisation. Officers carried out simultaneous raids on 11 addresses across Istanbul, seizing digital equipment. Dedetaş, a member of the Republican People's Party (CHP) who won election in 2024 with roughly 50 percent of the vote, had said in a July 2025 interview that she feared such a measure might be taken against her.
The case is part of an ongoing investigation that already saw 27 people detained in April and May operations, 16 of whom remain in custody. Detentions of political opponents have been occurring in Istanbul since 2024, and 22 CHP mayors have been arrested since the current judicial season began.