Şile Mayor Özgür Kabadayı taken into custody



On July 10, 2025, at 07:23 (updated 3 hours ago)



Early in the morning, financial crimes police conducted an operation at the Şile Municipality in Istanbul.

Özgür Kabadayı, the CHP mayor of Şile, was taken into custody.

CHP Istanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik said that Mayor Kabadayı and his colleagues were detained in home raids at around 01:30 AM.

Çelik stated, “Justice and human rights are being trampled for the sake of power and position.”It is reported that the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office has issued detention orders for at least six people. Details of the investigation are expected to become clear following a statement to be made later by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.

CHP Deputy Parliamentary Group Chair Ali Mahir Başarır reacted to Kabadayı’s detention.

Speaking to Halk TV, Başarır said, “Unfortunately, our mayors are under harassment.”

He added, “First, they detain people to create a perception, then arrest them. After that, they try to gather evidence.”Since the local elections held on March 31, 2024, 15 mayors — one from a previous term — have been arrested in operations targeting CHP-run municipalities.

In Istanbul, other districts where similar operations have previously been carried out include Esenyurt, Beşiktaş, Beykoz, Şişli, Beylikdüzü, Büyükçekmece, Gaziosmanpaşa, and Avcılar.



Who is Özgür Kabadayı?



Özgür Kabadayı, who was taken into custody this morning, was born in 1979 in Şile.

He completed his primary, middle, and high school education in Şile.

Kabadayı continued his education at Anadolu University, Faculty of Business Administration. He is married and has two children.



He ran two businesses in Şile and was active as a tradesman. Kabadayı also took part in several local civil society organizations and served as a manager for the Şile Sports Club.

He was also the Deputy Chair of the Şile branch of the Atatürkist Thought Association.



In the local elections held on March 31, 2024, Kabadayı was elected as the Mayor of Şile with approximately 52% of the vote.