25.04.2026 17:20
Interior Minister Çiftçi, speaking about the investigation into the disappearance of university student Gülistan Doku, said, 'The current point reached in the file has been jointly disclosed by our Governor, Police Chief, and Chief Prosecutor in coordination. In other words, the security and justice mechanisms of our State are in operation. From now on, if our inspectors determine involvement or negligence, those responsible will be handed over to justice without regard for anyone.'
Minister of Interior Mustafa Çiftçi, who met with editors-in-chief of media organizations in Istanbul, made statements on the current agenda.
Sharing important information about the ministry's activities at the meeting, Çiftçi noted that the definition of a criminal has changed in the digitalizing world and announced the ministry's new security paradigm. Stating that 97.2% of intentional homicide cases during AK Party governments were solved and that with the strengthening of criminal capacity, no new unsolved case records have been made from 2023 to the first quarter of 2026, Minister Çiftçi emphasized that all national and international mechanisms are being utilized to apprehend murder perpetrators.
Çiftçi said, “Red notices have been issued for 262 individuals. The process continues for 94 individuals. Crossing borders does not mean escaping pursuit.”
Former Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel was arrested within the scope of the Gülistan Doku investigation. "NO ONE HAS THE PRIVILEGE TO COMMIT A CRIME OR TURN A BLIND EYE TO CRIME" Minister Çiftçi emphasized that the state mobilized all its resources for the manifestation of justice in the Gülistan Doku case. Noting the contribution of the coordinated work of a governor, police chief, and chief public prosecutor at the current stage of the case, Çiftçi stated, “Our top priority in the case is to uncover the material truth without leaving any doubt; in this context, we determined that Umut Altaş, one of the key names in the case, illegally entered the USA via Mexico, and we immediately issued a red notice for him. As the Ministry, we have decisively pursued not only fugitives but also the allegations in the investigation process, and with an approval order dated April 17, 2026, we assigned civil inspectors regarding allegations of evidence tampering against former Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel; subsequently, he was suspended and arrested by the court to which he was referred. With an approval order dated April 20, 2026, two additional Civil Inspectors and two Police Inspectors were assigned. Thus, the effectiveness of both the allegations and the investigation process was examined in all aspects. By operating our state’s security and justice mechanisms at the highest level, I firmly state that we will deliver anyone involved in this process, whether through negligence or complicity, to justice without mercy; for no one has the privilege to commit a crime or turn a blind eye to crime.”
A SECURITY BOARD WILL BE ESTABLISHED FOR EVERY SCHOOL Providing information about the measures to be taken following the attacks in Kahramanmaraş and Şanlıurfa, Minister Çiftçi said, “We did not see the issue merely as a public order topic; we re-evaluated school security in all its dimensions. We sent a circular including the measures to be implemented to the governorships of 81 provinces. The 'school security' meetings, currently held twice a year in February and September, will now be conducted regularly in the first week of each month under the coordination of our governors and district governors. A 'security board' will be established in every school. This board will include the school principal, guidance counselor, school coordination law enforcement officer, and a social services specialist from the Ministry of Family and Social Services.”
The 7-step security model to be implemented in schools:
Risk and threat analyses will be renewed. Physical security measures will be increased. An early warning system will provide rapid response to potential risks. Community health centers will be assigned monitoring duties. Guidance-security coordination will be ensured. Ministries will work in coordination. Training and awareness activities for emergencies will be conducted. NEW SECURITY PARADIGM: WE WILL SHOW A REFLEX TO DRY UP THE VEINS OF CRIME Stating that they have redrawn the course of the fight against crime in the changing world order on the axis of digitalization and artificial intelligence, Minister Çiftçi announced the ministry's new vision. Interior Minister Çiftçi said, “We are implementing a proactive security architecture that not only keeps a tally of crime but dries it at its source before it sprouts and eliminates risks in advance. We are responding to changing crime profiles due to digitalization, migration mobility, and social fractures with artificial intelligence, data analysis, and our high-tech tracking capacity; moving beyond classical methods, we are elevating our state's reflexes to the highest level. With this new paradigm, nourished by academic data and strategic analyses, the Ministry of Interior secures our children and future by combating not only the criminal but also every vein that feeds crime; sound policy cannot be established without solid data, and lasting results cannot be achieved without correct analysis. This struggle is not one that can be borne solely on the shoulders of public institutions.”
"MEDIA HAS A GREAT ROLE IN SECURITY" Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi drew attention to the importance of preventive strategies and social cooperation in the fight against crime and called on the media. Çiftçi stated, “We are aware that we must act together with families, schools, universities, media, civil society, local governments, and all segments of society; ensuring that our children grow up in safer environments, without being involved in crime, falling under the shadow of violence, or falling into the clutches of digital threats, is our most fundamental shared responsibility. One of the strongest pillars of the Century of Turkey vision, which we pursue under the leadership of our esteemed President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is the peace of Turkey, and the most effective way to make this peace permanent is to prevent crime before it occurs. At this point, you, our valuable media members, are among our most precious stakeholders; because security is reinforced not only by field operations but also by correct communication and social awareness. We are determined to continue these consultation meetings on a more productive ground, taking into account each other’s views, criticisms, and contributions; indeed, with the 'new security paradigm,' we are not content with an approach that merely pursues crime but are building a strong future for our citizens that prevents crime before it is born and prepares safe tomorrows for our children.”
257 CRIMINALS SOUGHT WITH RED NOTICES EXTRADITED TO OUR COUNTRY IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF THE YEAR Providing information about extradition and domestic Interpol operations in the first quarter of 2026, Minister Çiftçi said: “From 39 countries sought by Interpol; a total of 219 foreign individuals were apprehended in our country, including 89 for smuggling and organized crimes, 17 for narcotics, 80 for terrorism, 33 for public order offenses, and 54 for religious exploitation. Among them, 47 are leaders or members of organized crime groups. In the first quarter of the year, extraditions were carried out from 30 countries for individuals we sought with red notices. A total of 257 individuals were extradited, including 112 for public order offenses, 108 for smuggling and organized crime, 31 for narcotics, 6 for terrorism, 2 for PKK, and 2 for religious exploitation.”