28.04.2026 09:00
Correspondence of fugitive Umut Altaş, for whom a red notice was issued after being found in the vehicle of Mustafa Türkay Sonel, the son of a former imprisoned governor, has been included in the Gülistan Doku file, reopened after 6 years in Tunceli. It was determined that in the correspondence, Altaş told his father, 'I will call the prosecutor lady and tell everything,' and in another message, he wrote, 'I will spill everything, damn it. You'll see how many sides the world has.'
A remarkable development has occurred in the Gülistan Doku investigation, which was taken off dusty shelves in Tunceli after 6 years. Under the new evidence added to the file, WhatsApp messages between key figure Umut Altaş and his father have emerged.
HE WAS IN THE SAME VEHICLE AS THE FORMER GOVERNOR'S SON On the night of January 5, 2020, at the Sarı Saltuk Viaduct, where Gülistan Doku's phone gave its last signal, License Plate Recognition System (LPRS) records were examined. According to the records, the connection of Umut Altaş, who was determined to be in the same vehicle as Mustafa Türkay Sonel, to the incident was re-evaluated.
Within the scope of the investigation, the then Governor of Tunceli, Tuncay Sonel, was arrested on charges of "concealing evidence," and his son Mustafa Türkay Sonel on charges of "premeditated murder."
HE FLED ABROAD, A RED NOTICE WAS ISSUED It was learned that Umut Altaş first went to Mexico in May 2022, and then illegally to the USA. Authorities issued a red notice for Altaş.
WHATSAPP MESSAGES ENTERED THE FILE In the messages that entered the investigation file, it was seen that Umut Altaş, for whom a red notice was issued, was demanding money from his father Celal Altaş.
"I'LL SPILL EVERYTHING, DAMN IT, YOU'LL SEE" According to the news report by Halit Turan from Sabah; it was determined that Umut Altaş said, "I'll call the lady prosecutor and tell everything. I'll say you sent me to America," and also wrote the message, "I'll spill everything, damn it, you'll see."
"SO YOU KNOW EVERYTHING, YOU DISHONORABLE" In the messages dated January 9, 2026, Altaş was seen telling his father, "You think it's that easy, don't you? There will be a price for what you've done. I expect 9 thousand dollars in my account today." It was determined that father Celal Altaş responded to these messages with, "So you know everything, you dishonorable." The messages also included the father demanding the return of the 150 thousand dollars he had previously sent.
These new messages that have emerged in the investigation are expected to play a significant role in shedding light on the dark points of the Gülistan Doku case, which turned from a routine missing person case into a murder file.
12 PEOPLE HAD BEEN ARRESTED The family of Gülistan Doku (21), a university student studying in Tunceli, who had not heard from her since January 5, 2020, came from their hometown Diyarbakır to Tunceli and filed a missing person report with the police on January 6, 2020. The search efforts initiated yielded no results.
In line with new information obtained, within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on charges of "premeditated murder," "sexual assault," "concealing/destroying crime evidence," "destroying/altering data by unlawfully entering an information system," "deprivation of liberty," "failure to report a crime," and "harboring a criminal," 17 suspects were detained.
Former governor Tuncay Sonel Among the suspects, the then Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel, Tuncay Sonel's son Mustafa Türkay Sonel, former police officer Gökhan Ertok who allegedly deleted data from Doku's SIM card, the then Tunceli State Hospital Chief Physician Çağdaş Özdemir who allegedly deleted hospital records, former Tunceli Special Provincial Administration employee Erdoğan Elaldı, Celal Altaş, Nurşen Arıkan, Ferhat Hanedan Güven, Doku's boyfriend Zeinal Abakarov, her mother Cemile Yücer, and her stepfather Engin Yücer, a former police officer, along with Şükrü Eroğlu who was Tuncay Sonel's protection officer at the time, were arrested. Uğurcan A., Savaş G. responsible for Munzur University's security cameras, and Süleyman Ö. were released under judicial control with a travel ban.
The former governor's son, Mustafa Türkay Sonel In the investigation, a red notice was issued for the fugitive suspect Umut Altaş, who was determined to be abroad.
On the other hand, within the framework of the investigation conducted by the Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding former Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel, the then Tunceli Police Chief Yılmaz Delen was summoned to testify as a witness, and the testimony procedures in Erzurum were completed.