30.06.2026 18:20
In the third hearing of the murder case of 22-year-old Ayşe Tokyaz, who was killed by former police officer Cemil Koç in Küçükçekmece and whose body was left in a suitcase by the roadside, the defendant Koç said in his defense: 'I will accept whatever punishment I get. I am not asking the court for any reduction. After reading a message on Ayşe's phone one day, I slapped her face 4-5 times and hit her shoulder once. Then I took the phone from her hand and forcefully struck her face; I was about to hit her again but stopped because her eyebrow started bleeding.'
The trial of 9 defendants, including suspect Cemil Koç (38), continues regarding the murder of 22-year-old university student Ayşe Tokyaz, who was killed by former police officer Cemil Koç on July 13, 2025, in Istanbul's Küçükçekmece district, and whose body was placed in a suitcase and left on the roadside in Eyüpsultan.
At the hearing held at the Küçükçekmece 2nd Heavy Penal Court, Cemil Koç attended via the Audio and Visual Information System (SEGBIS). Esra Tokyaz, mother Halime Tokyaz, 9 arrested defendants, and defense lawyers were present in the courtroom.
“WE WILL FOLLOW THIS CASE UNTIL THE END”
Speaking before the hearing, Sinem Ermiş, a lawyer from the Women and Democracy Foundation (KADEM), said, "This case is not just about Ayşe Tokyaz; it is a test of justice regarding women's right to life. Women cannot be silenced through threats, oppression, or deprivation of their freedoms. As the Women and Democracy Foundation, we will follow this case until the end. We demand that the perpetrator and everyone involved in this crime face the heaviest accountability before the law."
“MY OTHER HALF IS GONE”
Ayşe Tokyaz's sister, Esra Tokyaz, stated, "If you ask any grieving family, they would say the same things because it wasn't just Ayşe who left. Many things left our home. My other half is gone. Don't think that only a glass or a plate is missing in our home. No punishment will make any difference, but we will feel a bit of relief. We want everyone's support for us to be by our side."
“I DO NOT REQUEST ANY SENTENCE REDUCTION FROM THE COURT”
In his defense, suspect Cemil Koç stated that he did not request a sentence reduction from the court, saying, "I will serve whatever my sentence is. I do not request any reduction from the court. Ayşe and I never fought on the day of the incident. I have no intention of implicating the police officers being tried in the case file. One day, after reading a message on Ayşe's phone, I slapped her face 4 to 5 times and hit her shoulder once. Then I took the phone and hit her face hard with it once. I was about to hit her again, but I stopped because her eyebrow started bleeding."
The prosecutor asked suspect Koç, "When you hit Ayşe, where was Esra? Didn't she hear the sounds of the fight?" Koç replied, "Esra was sleeping in the room at home; she didn't hear any of it."
“THERE WAS A BAD SMELL WHEN THEY GOT INTO THE VEHICLE”
Witness İsmail D., who was heard in court, said, "That morning, I dropped a passenger at the bus station, and on my way back, I picked up two people, one tall and one short, as passengers. There was a bad smell when they got in; it was obvious they had taken drugs. They asked me if these taxis are frequently pulled over, and I said generally they are not."
“HE READ ME THE STATEMENT I GAVE AT THE POLICE STATION OVER THE PHONE AND THREATENED ME”
Witness Armağan K. stated, "In 2022, I had to change my name because of Cemil Koç. I met Cemil through a friend. We saw each other for a while, but later he assaulted me. He used a lot of banned substances. I gave a statement about him at the police station. Later, Cemil Koç read me the statement I gave at the station over the phone and told me to withdraw my complaint."
HEARING ADJOURNED
The hearing will continue on Thursday, July 2, after receiving the defendants' statements.