Number of detained CHP mayors in Istanbul rises to 16

The number of opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) mayors detained in Istanbul has reached 16 after Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş was arrested. This marks a significant increase in the legal actions taken against CHP officials since January 2025, following the party's success in winning 26 district municipalities in the March 31, 2024 local elections.

Out of the 16 detained mayors from 27 CHP-held municipalities in Istanbul, 14 remain in custody. Two mayors, Ahmet Özer of Esenyurt and İnan Güney of Beyoğlu, have been released. However, neither has been reinstated in their mayoral duties. Özer was arrested in separate cases on October 30, 2024, and January 21, 2025, while Güney was detained on August 19, 2025.

The list of detained mayors includes prominent figures such as Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, arrested on March 23, 2025, and still in detention. Other detained mayors represent districts including Adalar, Ataşehir, Avcılar, Bayrampaşa, Beşiktaş, Beykoz, Beylikdüzü, Büyükçekmece, Gaziosmanpaşa, Silivri, Şile, and Şişli. Their arrests occurred at various dates between June 2025 and July 2026.

The ongoing investigations and detentions raise questions about the political landscape in Istanbul and the pressures faced by the CHP. The party secured a significant victory in the recent local elections, and these legal actions appear to target its newly elected leadership across the city.