06.05.2026 22:41
In Gaziantep, the decision to not prosecute the death of Emel Akbaş Bayhan, who died after falling from a window while pregnant, has enraged the family; messages sent from her phone after the incident and footage showing a person at the window have raised further questions, and the family will appeal the decision.
The decision to not prosecute in the investigation into the death of Emel Akbaş Bayhan, who died after falling from a window while two months pregnant in Gaziantep, has sparked backlash from her family. The family claims Bayhan did not commit suicide but was pushed by her husband.
The incident occurred on June 26, 2025, in Gaziantep. Emel Akbaş Bayhan, 38, died after falling from her third-floor apartment. Following the incident, her husband Şirin Bayhan claimed Emel committed suicide and did not attend the funeral. Bayhan was later detained in Diyarbakır but released after giving his statement.
FAMILY: NOT SUICIDE, BUT PUSHED
The grieving family stated that a person appeared at the window at the moment Emel fell and that messages sent from her phone afterward are suspicious, calling the non-prosecution decision legally and morally unacceptable. Mother Muazzez Akbaş said, “Our Minister of Justice’s resolute stance in Gülistan Doku gave us hope. As a mother, I also call out. Let my daughter’s file be handled with the same determination.”
NOTABLE DETAILS IN THE POLICE REPORT
Findings in the police investigation report have also sparked controversy. According to the report, Emel Akbaş Bayhan fell from the window at 6:47 AM. However, it was determined that at 7:14 AM, about half an hour after the incident, WhatsApp messages were sent from Emel’s phone to her husband Şirin Bayhan. Phone examinations revealed no correspondence between the parties in the 16 days before the incident, but notably, messages suggesting Emel was going to commit suicide appeared after the fall. Additionally, the report notes that in footage from the incident, a person appears at the window seconds after Emel’s fall.
NON-PROSECUTION DECISION TO BE APPEALED
According to a report in Sabah, the family and their lawyers argue that many critical pieces of evidence were not adequately examined during the investigation. The family’s lawyer, Tayfun Gül, announced they will appeal the non-prosecution decision.
Lawyer Gül said, “Although the moment of the fall is clearly captured on footage at 6:47 AM, WhatsApp messages were found at 7:14 AM after the incident. How can someone who fell at 6:47 AM send messages 27 minutes later? This reveals that evidence has been tampered with and that an attempt has been made to portray the incident as suicide.”
“WAS THE EVIDENCE NOT SEEN?”
Gül emphasized that reports prepared by state institutions carry substantial evidentiary weight, asking, “Did those who issued the non-prosecution decision not see these findings?”