The authorities in Turkey have arrested a mayor from the opposition party in a case regarding construction permits.

In Istanbul, a corruption case has led to the arrest of the district mayor of Üsküdar, Sinem Dedetaş, local administration advisors, and directors of the municipal company Kent A.S.

Prosecutors claim that Kent A.S. illegally coordinated the approval process for building permits, despite lacking legal authority. Investigators discovered that company employees used an internal encrypted email network to influence the activities of officials and manage permit requests. Additionally, Kent A.S. entered into consultancy contracts worth approximately 1 billion Turkish lira, of which 361.4 million was allegedly obtained through pressure on real estate developers.

The opposition has rejected the accusations made since 2024, claiming that the investigations are politically motivated. For its part, the government asserts that justice operates independently.

This investigation is part of a series of inquiries into corruption in local administrations in Turkey, which has also targeted the mayor of Istanbul, Ekrem Imamoglu.