Zaki Y. M. Hasan, one of two detainees held by Turkey on suspicion of spying for the United Arab Emirates has committed suicide in prison, Reuters reported on Monday.
A Justice Ministry official said the suspect hanged himself but did not provide further details.
The two men had been arrested in Turkey on charges of spying on April 19 and were sent to Silivri Prison in İstanbul.
According to the pro-government Daily Sabah, the two suspects confessed to collecting information on Arab nationals on behalf of the United Arab Emirates. Turkish officials were investigating to ascertain whether one of the alleged agents had any connection to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in October inside the Saudi Consulate General in İstanbul.
The Stockholm Center for Freedom (SCF) reported in one of its studies titled “Suspicious Deaths and Suicides In Turkey” that there has been an increase in the number of suspicious deaths in Turkey, most in jails and detention centers, where torture and ill treatment are practiced. In a majority of cases authorities ruled them as suicides without any effective, independent investigation.
