Sinem Dedetaş returns home under house arrest on Republic Day

The Istanbul politician describes a double celebration, but says colleagues still in prison temper her happiness.

TurkeyStory of October 30, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? One of SÖZCÜ Televizyonu's most watched videos since yesterday, with 103,195 views.

SÖZCÜ Televizyonu: The news channel of the opposition-leaning Turkish newspaper Sözcü, since 2021. 2.3M subscribers and 3B views.

Tahliye Edilen Sinem Dedetaş Evinde! Sözcü Televizyonu'na Konuştu! 'Benim İçin Çifte Bayram Oldu'

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0:00Dedetaş arrives outside her home, where a crowd welcomes her with applause, flowers and embraces.
1:42She marks Republic Day and describes her return home as a double celebration.
2:26Dedetaş wishes freedom for colleagues still in prison and explains that she remains under house arrest.
5:48Ahmet Özer welcomes her release and calls for strengthening the republic through democracy.
7:56Timur Soykan links the republic's egalitarian values to educational opportunities in his own life.

Applause, flowers and embraces greet Sinem Dedetaş outside her home as she returns from prison on Turkey's Republic Day. Her release is subject to house arrest, according to Turkey's SÖZCÜ Televizyonu, which reports that she had been detained since July 31.

Dedetaş, elected mayor of Istanbul's Üsküdar district in 2024, speaks to reporter Sezin Ceren Övünç amid the gathering. She begins by wishing people a happy holiday and marks the republic's anniversary. October 29 commemorates the proclamation of the Republic of Turkey in 1923.

For Dedetaş, the homecoming makes it a double celebration. But she says she can only partly celebrate because colleagues remain in prison, and expresses hope that they will regain their freedom soon. She also invites Deniz Göktaş to visit, explaining that she is now under house arrest.

After accepting congratulations, Dedetaş climbs the building's stairs with those accompanying her and heads inside.

The broadcast then returns to presenter Senem Toluay Ilgaz and a studio panel including Ahmet Özer, introduced as Esenyurt's mayor, and journalists Barış Terkoğlu and Timur Soykan. Özer welcomes Dedetaş's release and argues that the republic must be strengthened through democracy.

Journalist Fikret Bila joins from Ankara as the discussion broadens to Republic Day torchlight processions in several provinces. Soykan closes by connecting the republic's promise of equality to his own opportunities for education as the son of a worker.

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