The son of a former provincial governor was arrested over the weekend in an investigation into the 2020 disappearance of university student Gülistan Doku, bringing the number of jailed suspects to 10, Turkish Minute reported, citing BBC Turkish.
Doku, a 21-year-old student, disappeared on January 5, 2020, in the eastern province of Tunceli, where she was attending university.
Mustafa Türkay Sonel, one of the main suspects and the son of former Tunceli governor Tuncay Sonel, was arrested on April 18. His father was detained a day earlier on suspicion of evidence tampering.
In his statement to prosecutors Sonel denied the accusations and rejected claims made by a confidential witness.
He said he had visited a café where Doku had worked, adding that he had gone there once or twice with friends.
The number of people under investigation has risen to 15, including the former governor. Şükrü Eroğlu, who served as Sonel’s bodyguard at the time, was also arrested on April 18.
Several other suspects have also been detained on charges including murder, destruction of evidence and abuse of office. Among those arrested are Zeinal Abakarov, identified as Doku’s boyfriend, as well as his mother and stepfather.
Former police officer Gökhan Ertok has been jailed on charges of destroying evidence, while Erdoğan Elaldı, a former provincial administration employee identified as the last person to have contact with Doku, was arrested on suspicion of murder.
Prosecutors said they are reviewing new evidence, including confidential witness testimony, social media and phone data and more than 700 hours of surveillance footage.
Testimony raises new allegations
New testimony has brought forward allegations linking suspects to a possible killing, according to statements given to prosecutors.
Silar Altaş, the brother of fugitive suspect Umut Altaş, told prosecutors that his brother had described a conversation in which Sonel allegedly said he had shot a woman following a dispute related to pregnancy. Altaş said he believed the victim referred to was Doku.
He also said his brother had been afraid to come forward earlier and suggested that multiple individuals may have been involved in concealing the incident, including people linked to the former governor’s circle.
Prosecutors said there is “strong suspicion” that Sonel may have committed the crime, citing witness testimony and technical findings.
According to the case file, a confidential witness alleged that Sonel killed Doku while accompanied by Umut Altaş and later called Eroğlu to the scene. The testimony said the body was buried in a rural area near Tunceli and later moved.
Investigators said underground imaging indicated soil disturbances consistent with a burial at the location described by the witness, although no remains were found during excavation.
Political reactions
The developments have also sparked political reactions.
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader Özgür Özel criticized reports that the investigation had been launched on the instructions of Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, suggesting the claim was aimed at deflecting responsibility for delays in the case.
Gürlek denied the allegation, saying the Tunceli chief prosecutor had approached him with collected evidence and that he found the suspicions credible.
Tülay Hatimoğulları, co-chair of the pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), described the expanded investigation as “an important step” toward justice.
Doku was last seen after an argument with her boyfriend, and surveillance footage later showed her sitting on a bridge over a reservoir.
Prosecutors initially considered suicide after she was seen near the reservoir, but her body was never found.
Her family rejected that conclusion and filed complaints, saying the investigation had failed to determine what had happened to her.
The Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office later said there was no indication that anyone had jumped into the reservoir at the time, raising further questions about the initial handling of the case.
The Justice for Gülistan Committee, a civil society group monitoring the case, has said key testimony was mishandled and evidence may have been overlooked, pointing to inconsistencies in witness statements and police records.
Recent arrests, including that of the former governor’s son, are the most substantial developments in the case in years.
