24.07.2026 12:41
Within the scope of the Gülistan Doku investigation, three suspects, including Handan Sonel, the wife of former Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel who was taken into custody, were referred to the courthouse. During the referral, extensive security measures were taken, while members of the Doku family shouted "Murderers."
In the murder investigation into Gülistan Doku, who has been missing in Tunceli since January 5, 2020, three suspects, including Handan Sonel, the wife of the then Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel, who were detained, have been referred to the courthouse.
The investigation into Gülistan Doku, missing since January 5, 2020, in Tunceli, was reopened on the instructions of Ebru Cansu, who was appointed to the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office by the June 2024 decree of the HSK. A special team from JASAT examined approximately 700 hours of KGYS and security camera footage and PTS records, adding new images to the case file. Based on the evidence obtained, the investigation was transformed into a murder case. In the operations carried out, 17 suspects were detained. Another suspect, Umut Altaş, who is in the USA and for whom a red notice was issued, was detained and arrested in that country.
GOVERNOR'S SON ARRESTED
Among the suspects referred to the courthouse after their procedures at the gendarmerie, Mustafa Türkay Sonel, the son of the then Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel, and Erdoğan Elaldı, who was found to have had last contact with Gülistan Doku through cell site location analysis and was a provincial special administration employee at the time, were arrested on charges of 'Intentional killing'. Gülistan Doku's ex-boyfriend Zeinal Abarakov, Abarakov's father Engin Yücer and mother Cemile Yücer, fugitive suspect Umut Altaş's father Celal Altaş and mother Nurşen Arıkan, dismissed police officer Gökhan Ertok, and Şükrü Eroğlu, who was Tuncay Sonel's close bodyguard at the time, were arrested on charges of 'Concealing and destroying evidence'. Ferhat Güven was arrested and sent to prison on charges of 'Robbery' for his actions against Gülistan Doku's sister Aygül Doku.
FORMER GOVERNOR ALSO ARRESTED
Çağdaş Özdemir, the then chief physician of Tunceli State Hospital, who was detained in Bursa on allegations of deleting Gülistan Doku's hospital records and brought to Tunceli Courthouse, was also arrested on charges of 'Falsifying, destroying, or concealing official documents'. Governor Tuncay Sonel was arrested and sent to prison on charges of 'Destroying, concealing, or altering evidence', 'Preventing, disrupting, destroying, or altering data in an information system, unlawfully giving or obtaining personal data', and 'Falsifying, destroying, or concealing official documents'. Suspects U.A., S.G., and S.Ö., who was responsible for cameras at Munzur University, were released under judicial supervision. Burçin Y. and Yücel E., IT staff at Tunceli State Hospital who were detained on allegations of 'Destroying and concealing evidence' regarding the deletion of hospital records, were also released under judicial supervision.
15 PEOPLE DETAINED
While search efforts continue in designated areas using underground imaging devices by JAK and JASAT teams to find Gülistan Doku's lifeless body, an operation was carried out the previous day as part of the investigation conducted by the Erzurum and Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices. In a simultaneous operation in Elazığ, Malatya, Ankara, Istanbul, and Tunceli, a total of 15 suspects were detained, including 3 doctors, 1 nurse, 1 IT staff member, 5 data entry personnel, the wife of former Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel, Handan Sonel, the owner of an IT company believed to have tampered with Gülistan Doku's phone, 1 businessperson, and 2 security guards.
TWO DETAINED IN ANKARA
As part of the investigation conducted by the Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, following examinations of digital materials belonging to former Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel, an operation was carried out in Ankara. Correspondence between former Governor Sonel and dismissed police officer Gökhan Ertok on an opened phone was examined. It was determined that the correspondence was among significant evidence in the case file. Two suspects, excluding the previously arrested suspects Tuncay Sonel, Şükrü Eroğlu, and Gökhan Ertok, were detained in Ankara.
SECURITY GUARD ARRESTED
Among the suspects referred to the courthouse yesterday, security guard F.Ö. was arrested on charges of 'Aiding intentional killing' and 'Destroying, concealing, or altering evidence', while businessperson O.Y. was released under judicial supervision. Extensive security measures were taken around the courthouse, and F.Ö. was sent to prison.
ATTEMPTED TO ATTACK SUSPECTS
Today, Handan Sonel, the wife of the then Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel, M.A., the boss of the arrested Gökhan Ertok who is alleged to have conducted transactions on Gülistan Doku's SIM card, and former security guard Y.A. were referred to the courthouse by JASAT teams after their statements were taken. The suspects were brought to Tunceli Courthouse under extensive security measures. As the suspects were brought to the courthouse, members of the Doku family shouted "Murderers." Police teams restrained and calmed a family relative who attempted to attack the suspects.