Özgür Çelik alleges '4 council members were taken out of the city' before Üsküdar election

Discussions that began following the arrest and suspension of Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş have continued with new statements ahead of the deputy mayoral election. A large number of citizens attended the "Üsküdar's Will Cannot Be Ignored" gathering held in front of Üsküdar Municipality at the call of the CHP.

Speaking at the gathering, CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik raised a striking allegation regarding 4 municipal council members who switched to the AKP. Çelik claimed that the members in question were taken out of Istanbul to prevent them from making contact with their families and close circles.

Çelik stated, "To our 4 council members who have been taken outside the borders of Istanbul, we know where you are right now. They have taken them to a point outside of Istanbul and stationed police to guard them just so their relatives and families cannot contact them. They will be brought here tomorrow morning."

Pointing to the renewal election to be held tomorrow, Çelik called on citizens to gather in front of the municipality at 08:30. Addressing the council members who switched to the AKP, Çelik said, "Put your hand on your conscience when casting your votes. Decide according to your conscience. It is not too late for anything. Protect the will of the people of Üsküdar."

CHP İstanbul Deputy Suat Özçağdaş, who also spoke at the gathering, reacted to the process. Criticizing the suspension of elected mayors, Özçağdaş said, "Today, 44 percent of Turkey's population is not governed by a mayor who was voted for in the elections."

Özçağdaş evaluated the process regarding Sinem Dedetaş through the lens of the "national will" debate. Stating that they will continue to defend the choice of voters in Üsküdar, Özçağdaş said that tomorrow's election must be held openly, with the principle of secret ballot and open counting.

HOW DID THE PROCESS REACH THIS POINT?

The deputy mayoral process in the municipal council began after Sinem Dedetaş, who was elected as the CHP's Üsküdar Mayor in the March 31, 2024 local elections, was arrested and subsequently suspended by the Ministry of Interior. In the election held on August 5, CHP candidate Sibel Tan Çetinkaya was elected deputy mayor with 22 votes in the fourth round, while AKP candidate Dündar Ziya Gültekin remained at 18 votes.

Upon the AKP's objection to the election result, the Istanbul 2nd Administrative Court issued a stay of execution, and the renewal of the election became final after the Regional Administrative Court rejected the CHP's appeal. Following the renewal decision, detention and interrogation procedures were carried out against some CHP council members.

Shortly before the election, Ahmet Başbaydar, Ayhan Aydın, Hüseyin Kazan, and Tahsin Usta resigned from the CHP and joined the AKP. The deputy mayoral election, which was planned to be held on September 5, was postponed to Tuesday, September 8, because a quorum could not be reached.