14.04.2026 23:52
In the reopened Gülistan Tissue case after 6 years, suspicious movements were detected in PTS records regarding the vehicle used by Mustafa Türkay Sonel, the son of the then Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel. Traffic concentrated in deserted areas during night hours and contradictions in passenger records created critical question marks in the file. The red notice initiated for his friend Umut Altaş, who was with Sonel that day, carried the investigation to an international dimension.
In the investigation conducted regarding the disappearance of Gülistan Doku, contacts with her family circle have been subjected to detailed re-examination. New witness statements and evidence entered into the prosecution file have shifted the case from being an ordinary "missing person" case to one centered on suspicions of murder, concealment of a body, and tampering with evidence.
Striking details have emerged regarding the then-governor of Tunceli, Tuncay Sonel, and his son Mustafa Türkay Sonel, who are at the center of the allegations. Following the tip-off, examinations involved a detailed analysis of the License Plate Recognition System (LPRS) records of the vehicle used by Mustafa Türkay Sonel.
The then Governor of Tunceli, Tuncay Sonel DESOLATE ROUTES DURING NIGHT HOURS DREW ATTENTION According to the records, it was determined that the vehicle moved intensively during night hours in remote, mountainous, and desolate areas far from social life zones. The assessment that these routes were inconsistent with normal traffic flow was included in the file.
CONTRADICTIONS DETECTED IN PASSENGER RECORDS While records show that Mustafa Türkay Sonel's close friend Umut Altaş was in the passenger seat during some passes, data indicating he was not in the vehicle during other passes drew attention. This situation brought to light contradictions between technical records and the actual situation.
RED NOTICE ISSUED Evaluations in the file emphasized that the vehicle's mobility in question could not be explained by ordinary night traffic. On the other hand, it was learned that Umut Altaş's family members were detained, a warrant was issued for Altaş, who has been in the US for a long time, and the red notice process was initiated.
The prosecution continues to examine the connection of the suspicious movements to the incident in a multi-faceted manner, based on the obtained technical data.
SECRET WITNESS "FEBRUARY" FUNDAMENTALLY SHOOK THE FILE The development that created a real earthquake effect in the investigation occurred in 2025. A person requesting their identity be kept confidential contacted JASAT and explicitly stated that Gülistan Doku was killed; then shared shocking details that even shocked the investigation authorities.
ALLEGATION OF "THE BODY'S LOCATION WAS CHANGED" The secret witness provided quite detailed accounts about Gülistan Doku being taken from near the bridge on the day of the incident and the subsequent events. The secret witness stated that the body's location was changed multiple times due to concerns about discovery. Following the statement, a suspicious void resembling a grave was detected at a described point during an examination with underground scanning devices.
According to prosecution sources, these findings strengthened the allegation that the body's location was changed. The overlap between technical findings and the secret witness's accounts was interpreted as a sign that the file had entered a new phase. Search and excavation operations with underground imaging devices were also carried out at other identified locations.
ALLEGATION THAT "THE GOVERNOR PLACED THE DOKU FAMILY UNDER CLOSE SURVEILLANCE" According to witness statements in the file, some public officials of the period were assigned to be constantly present in the family's circle. The statements included allegations that the then-governor specifically directed certain individuals to be present near the family.
Another detail drawing attention in the investigation was the communication records. HTS records reflected that Umut Altaş, the close friend of Mustafa Türkay Sonel, intermittently contacted Gülistan Doku's sister, Aygül Doku, months after the incident.
WHAT HAD HAPPENED? The family, who had not heard from their daughter Gülistan Doku, a university student in Tunceli, since January 5, 2020, came from their hometown Diyarbakır to Tunceli and filed a missing person report with the police on January 6, 2020. Teams that spoke with the young woman's friends and monitored her cell phone signals initiated a search. No results were obtained from the searches.