14.04.2026 15:52
After the detention of 13 suspects in 7 provinces in the Gülistan Doku investigation, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek made a statement. Gürlek said, 'The investigation is being re-examined in all its aspects; no doubt or claim is being overlooked, and it is being investigated resolutely, wherever it may lead.'
The case of university student Gülistan Doku, who went missing in Tunceli, has been reopened. Detention warrants have been issued for 13 suspects in 7 provinces. Within the scope of the investigation, the son of the former Governor of Tunceli was also detained in Istanbul. The 12 detained individuals were taken to Tunceli.
Following these developments, Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek made a statement regarding the Gülistan Doku investigation. Gürlek said, "Within the scope of the investigation conducted into the disappearance of Gülistan Doku, our Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has taken a significant step; as a result of multi-faceted work, detention procedures have been carried out. This investigation, which has left a deep mark on the public conscience, is being re-evaluated in all its aspects; it is being investigated decisively, wherever it may lead, without overlooking any suspicion or allegation. I share the pain of the Doku family, who has been following this difficult and comprehensive process with great patience; I thank our Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which works diligently for the realization of justice, and our law enforcement forces working with sensitivity. In line with the vision of our esteemed President, 'The Turkey Century will be the Century of Justice'; we will continue to mobilize all the means of the law until there are no unsolved incidents left."
FILE TAKEN OFF THE SHELF AFTER 6 YEARS, DETENTIONS MADE In the investigation that has been ongoing since 2020, a simultaneous operation was carried out today, centered in Tunceli, and in Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Bursa, Elazığ, and İzmir.
Among the 13 detained individuals is Mustafa Türkay Sonel, the son of the former Governor of Tunceli, Tuncay Sonel.
Gülistan's boyfriend Zeynal Abarakov, the last person she was seen with, his mother Cemile Yücer, and his stepfather Engin Yücer are also among the suspects.
DETAINED INDIVIDUALS Zeinal Abakarov: Alanya (Gülistan's boyfriend) Engin Yücer: Alanya (Zeinal's stepfather, a former police officer) Cemile Yücer: Alanya (Zeinal's mother) Uğurcan Açıkgöz: From Antalya Center (Mustafa Türkay Sonel's close friend at the time and still, the person seen in the camera footage) Erdoğan Elaldı: Antalya Center (The person who worked at Tunceli Provincial Special Administration at the time) Mustafa Türkay Sonel: Istanbul Ataşehir (Son of Tuncay Sonel, the former Governor of Tunceli, who is currently an Inspector at the Ministry of Interior) Gökhan Ertok: Ankara (Former police officer who was dismissed, the person who had contact with the Governor and his bodyguard during this process) Savaş Gültürk: Elazığ (Staff responsible for cameras at Munzur University) Süleyman Önal: Tunceli (Staff responsible for cameras at Munzur University) Celal Altaş: Tunceli Nurşen Arıkan: Tunceli Şükrü Eroğlu: İzmir (Bodyguard of the former Governor of Tunceli, Tuncay Sonel) MURDER SUSPICION BEING EVALUATED In the investigation conducted by the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; within the framework of new findings, murder suspicion is being evaluated.
Additionally, allegations such as organized cover-up, evidence tampering, deletion of digital traces, and use of public influence are also under scrutiny.
Especially vehicle movements, phone signals, deleted social media data related to the day of the incident and afterwards, and the suspicious connections and activities of some public officials completely changed the course of the investigation.
ANONYMOUS NOTE MENTIONS SONEL'S NAME One of the notable points in the file is an anonymous note left for the family's lawyer. This note mentions the name of Mustafa Türkay Sonel, the son of the former Governor of Tunceli, Tuncay Sonel.
After the note emerged, examinations revealed that Sonel's vehicle movements on the day of the incident were inconsistent with the normal flow.
CONTRADICTORY STATEMENTS OF THE BOYFRIEND AND HIS CIRCLE In the file, the activities of Gülistan's boyfriend Zeinal Abakarov are addressed as a separate heading. While it was determined that some correspondences on Zeinal's phone had been deleted, the messages he sent via social media after Gülistan's disappearance were found to be noteworthy.
It was observed that these messages contained expressions giving the impression that he knew something had happened to Gülistan. Moreover, it was understood that not only Zeinal but also some individuals in his circle gave contradictory statements on the night of the incident and afterwards, that some camera footage was never recorded or was recorded incompletely, and that attempts were made to complicate the file.
700 HOURS OF FOOTAGE SCANNED Witness statements added to the file and 700 hours of MOBESE footage also revealed many details that were previously overlooked or covered up.
Based on HTS records, narrowed base station analyses, and new technical reports, the day of the incident was re-evaluated minute by minute.
GÜLİSTAN DOKU INVESTIGATION Gülistan Doku (21), a 2nd-year student in the Child Development Department at Munzur University in Tunceli, had left the dormitory where she stayed on January 5, 2020, and no further news was received from her. Doku's family had filed a missing person report with the Provincial Police Department on January 6.
As a result of investigations, it was stated that Gülistan Doku's cell phone last gave a signal at the Sarı Saltuk Viaduct on the Uzunçayır Dam Lake.
Under the coordination and instruction of the then Governor Tuncay Sonel, work was carried out for months at the Uzunçayır Dam Lake with divers, ROV and radar devices, and numerous surface teams. When no trace belonging to Doku could be found, the work was terminated.
WHERE SHE GOT OFF THE MINIBUS IS UNCLEAR In examinations of the KGYS cameras along the route, it was seen that Gülistan Doku met with her ex-boyfriend Zeynal Abarakov in the garden of a cafe next to the governor's office around noon on January 5, and then crossed the street and boarded a city minibus.
In the footage entered into the file, it was not shown where Gülistan Doku came from to the front of the cafe, and where she got off after boarding the minibus could not be determined.
Furthermore, the camera belonging to Munzur University, which closely views the Sarı Saltuk Viaduct where Doku's phone signal was last detected, could not be examined because it was reported to be broken.
Again, a 3.5-hour unclear footage from a distant camera viewing the viaduct was sent to the National Criminal Bureau, but the images could not be clarified.
It was reflected in the records that Gülistan Doku was seen on KGYS entering her ex-boyfriend Zeynal Abarakov's house the night before she disappeared, but the next day, the door of the house was not visible due to a change in the camera angle. In the investigation, Z.A. was detained and released with judicial control and a travel ban.
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