12.06.2026 15:10
The murder case of Mehmet Şirin Çelik, who was killed in Batman in 2021 and remained unsolved for years, has been reopened. Through meticulous work by the gendarmerie, it was revealed that the murder was planned due to a blood feud between two families. Justice Minister Akın Gürlek announced that 11 suspects were detained in simultaneous operations in Batman and Van.
A striking development occurred in the investigation into the murder of Mehmet Şirin Çelik in Batman in 2021. The case, which remained unsolved for a long time, was reexamined under the coordination of the Batman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
As a result of a comprehensive investigation conducted by the Directorate of Unsolved Crimes Investigation and gendarmerie teams, the background of the murder was uncovered.
HOSTILITY BETWEEN FAMILIES REVEALED
Evidence obtained in the investigation revealed that the murder was deliberately committed due to ongoing hostility between two families.
During the investigations, it was determined that the suspects made various plans to create the impression that they were not at the crime scene on the day of the incident and to divert the investigation in different directions. However, it was learned that these plans were thwarted as a result of the teams' technical and physical surveillance efforts.
SIMULTANEOUS OPERATIONS IN BATMAN AND VAN
Simultaneous operations were conducted in Batman and Van upon the instruction of the Batman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. During the operations, 11 suspects believed to be connected to the murder were taken into custody.
While it was learned that the procedures for the suspects were ongoing, it was stated that the investigation was continuing in multiple directions.
NOTEWORTHY STATEMENT FROM AKIN GÜRLEK
Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced the development via his social media account. Gürlek stated that under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, through coordination with the Ministry of Interior, they would not allow any murder to remain in the dark.
In his statement, Gürlek said, "No matter how much time passes, we once again express that escape from justice is not possible, that criminals will not go unpunished, and that no murder will be left unsolved."
CASE REOPENED, 11 DETAINED
Drawing attention to the reexamination of unsolved cases, Minister Gürlek thanked the Batman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, Batman Provincial Gendarmerie Command, and the Directorate of Unsolved Crimes Investigation teams for their work.
BLOOD FEUD DETAIL IN INVESTIGATION
According to the findings obtained in the investigation, it was assessed that the murder was committed due to a blood feud and hostility that had been ongoing for years between the Çelik and Günbey families. Based on witness statements, HTS and PTS records, field studies, and intelligence information in the case file, it was alleged that the suspects tried to cover their tracks by leaving their phones in different areas before the incident, then went to the scene and committed the murder. Following the correlation of secret witness statements and technical data, 11 suspects were taken into custody in simultaneous operations conducted in Batman and Van.
ALLEGATION OF PLANNED MURDER
According to information in the investigation file, it was assessed that the murder of Mehmet Şirin Çelik was planned as a continuation of past incidents between the families. It was stated that within the scope of the work carried out by the JASAT teams, the suspects tried to avoid attention by changing their routes after the incident, and important evidence was obtained to shed light on the murder following technical surveillance and wiretap records. Authorities announced that the case, which had remained unsolved since 2021, was resolved thanks to new evidence and witness statements.