Selman Öğüt's 'confession-like' words on Sinem Dedetaş: Found the 'victim,' advised the media!

Professor Selman Öğüt, appointed to Esenyurt University's rectorship by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in 2023, has publicly criticized the arrested and dismissed Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş. In a social media post, Öğüt asserted that Dedetaş's actions had victimized contractors, arguing that the media had failed to report on the plight of those in the construction sector who have been suffering for two years.

Öğüt, who was removed from the university's website in 2024, stated that he has lived in Üsküdar for years and personally heard about the difficulties faced by those in construction since Dedetaş took office. He claimed that people's livelihoods were disrupted for "trivial reasons," leading to halted construction projects. According to Öğüt, contractors have been losing millions of liras for two years simply paying rent. He expressed hope that these "victims" would soon see better days and urged journalists to interview them to understand their struggles with figures like Nazım and Sinem.

The article also delves into Öğüt's controversial academic and political history. His master's thesis reportedly showed a 51% similarity to other works, leading to plagiarism accusations. He previously gained attention in 2015 for a "docentcy message" in which he claimed to have arranged his professorships and juries before the AK Party came to power. An email leaked by WikiLeaks showed him telling Berat Albayrak, Erdoğan's son-in-law, that he had secured his positions through manipulation, but that he was moving forward as the "chief" advised. Öğüt became a docent after a law removing the interview requirement for the position was passed in 2018.

Öğüt is also remembered for statements such as "Kemalism is a virus" and "Mustafa Kemal Atatürk would support Tayyip Erdoğan if he lived today." His father, Salim Öğüt, died of a heart attack in 2010 during a program on FETÖ-affiliated Mehtap TV, and Fethullah Gülen, the fugitive leader of FETÖ, sent condolences. Furthermore, Selman Öğüt is alleged to be a member of the Pelikan group, known for its organization within the AK Party.

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Ben senelerdir Üsküdar'da yaşıyorum. Sinem Dedetaş geldikten sonra özellikle inşaatla uğraşanların çektiklerini bizzat duyuyorum. Sudan sebeplerle insanların ekmeğine kan doğrandı. İnşaatları durduruldu. 2 senedir sadece kira ödeyip milyonlarca lira zarar eden müteahhitler var. Mağdurlar bu operasyonun çok geç kaldığını düşünüyor. İnşallah bundan sonra bu mağdurların yüzü güler. Lütfen medyacı olmanın gereğini yapın ve birkaç kişiye mikrofon uzatın. Size başta Nazım ve Sinem olmak üzere kimlerle ve nelerle uğraştıklarını anlatsınlar.