15.01.2026 13:48
In Ağrı, in a new investigation regarding the death of 4-year-old Leyla Aydemir, whose lifeless body was found 18 days after she went missing in 2018, her uncle, aunt, grandmother, and aunt were detained on charges of "destroying, concealing, and altering evidence."
The investigation into the death of 4-year-old Leyla Aydemir, whose lifeless body was found 2 kilometers away from the settlement 18 days after she went missing in the village of Bezirhane while visiting her grandfather with her family for Eid al-Fitr on June 15, 2018, continues under the Ağrı Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
4 RELATIVES IN CUSTODY
The prosecutor's office, which expanded the investigation, opened a separate file based on new evidence obtained. As part of the new investigation, Aydemir's uncle, aunt, grandmother, and aunt were taken into custody on charges of "destroying, concealing, and altering evidence." The processing of the suspects taken into custody by the police teams is ongoing.
THE COURT OF CASSATION HAD OVERTURNED THE ACQUITTAL DECISION
In the indictment prepared as a result of the initial investigation conducted by the Ağrı Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was requested that Leyla Aydemir's uncle Y.A. and Y.A, B.D, H.D, M.A, M.A.A. and A.A. be sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for "intentional killing of a child or a person who is unable to defend themselves physically or mentally" and up to 14 years in prison for "depriving a person of their liberty in complicity." The acquittal decision given for 7 defendants was overturned by the Court of Cassation.
WHAT HAPPENED?
In Ağrı, a search was initiated for 4-year-old Leyla Aydemir, who went missing in the village of Bezirhane while visiting her grandfather with her family for Eid al-Fitr on June 15, 2018, and her lifeless body was found 18 days later among the trees by the riverside near the road leading to the city center, 2 kilometers from the village, with no signs of bruises or wounds on her body. The child's body was buried in the village of Bezirhane.
After the incident, a case was opened against 7 defendants regarding the death of little Leyla at the Ağrı 1st Heavy Penal Court. In the decision hearing of the case held in this court on October 2, 2020, the detained defendant uncle Yusuf A. was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment for "intentional killing" and 4 years in prison for "depriving a person of their liberty by force and deceit," while the other defendants Y.A, B.D, H.D, M.A, M.A.A. and A.A. were acquitted due to lack of evidence.
The Erzurum Regional Court of Justice 1st Criminal Chamber, which reviewed the file, indicated that there must be evidence beyond all reasonable doubt for a conviction and pointed out various procedural deficiencies, overturning the local court's decision for all defendants. The court that overturned the local court's decision on both substantive and procedural grounds also ordered the release of Yusuf A.
The objection made by the Erzurum Regional Court of Justice Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on January 4, 2021, against this decision was also rejected by the Regional Court of Justice 1st Criminal Chamber. The Presidents' Council of the Erzurum Regional Court of Justice, which reviewed the file, found the overturning decision of the 1st Criminal Chamber to be lawful.
Following the overturning decision, all defendants were acquitted due to lack of evidence in the retrial conducted by the Ağrı 1st Heavy Penal Court on October 8, 2021.
The file reviewed upon objection was found to be lawful by the Erzurum Regional Court of Justice 1st Criminal Chamber.
The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office of the Court of Cassation deemed the acquittal decision given for the 7 defendants retried to be unlawful and requested the judgment to be overturned.