Minister Gürlek: 8 murders in 7 separate unsolved files were revealed

In his statement on his NSosyal account, Minister Gürlek emphasized that, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, they continue their fight with determination to ensure that no case of unknown perpetrators remains in the dark, no matter how much time passes, the truth is revealed and the perpetrators are held accountable before justice.

Gürlek said, "As a result of the meticulous work of our chief public prosecutors' offices and law enforcement units, with the coordination of our Unsolved Crimes Investigation Department, we have clarified 8 murders in 7 separate unsolved files, the oldest of which is approximately 39 years old and the newest of which is 3 years old. Together with these 7 files, within the scope of the work we have carried out under the coordination of our Unsolved Crimes Investigation Department, we have illuminated the events regarding 65 victims and 7 injured in 58 files so far." gave the information.

In the file of Nigar Bilgin, who has been unsolved for 39 years in Artvin's Şavşat district and was never heard from again after her marriage in 1987, Gürlek stated that bone remains were found during the excavation carried out as a result of new statements and location procedures, and that Z.B., one of the suspects, was arrested, and M.B. He reported that a house arrest decision was made for him.

Gürlek stated that in the file of Hamza Gedik, an unsolved assailant for 21 years in Yozgat's Şefaatli district, who was killed in the TMO campus where he worked on July 8, 2005, old notices, re-taken statements and evidence obtained were evaluated together, and noted that 6 suspects were caught in the operations carried out in Kırşehir and Istanbul upon findings that the murder was carried out as instigation and participation.

Gürlek stated that new witness statements, HTS and base records, Forensic Medicine Institute evaluations and contradictions in previous statements were re-examined in the file of Erhan Kurt, whose assailant remained unsolved for 19 years in Diyarbakır's Sur district and was strangled to death in Hevsel Gardens on September 21, 2007. Gürlek stated that 6 suspects were caught in the simultaneous operation carried out in Diyarbakır and Batman upon the new findings.

Gürlek stated that in the file of Yakup Bozkurt, who had been an unknown perpetrator for 14 years in Eskişehir's Seyitgazi district, who disappeared on May 8, 2012 when he was 2.5 years old and whose lifeless body was found, 6 suspects were detained as a result of technical studies and re-taken statements, and one of the suspects' father, A.B., was arrested.

Gürlek stated that with the new witness statements in the file of Köksal Kol and Mehmet Kaplan, whose perpetrators have been unsolved for 12 years in Trabzon and disappeared on June 26, 2014, the previous decision of not prosecuting was lifted and said, "E.A. and A.B., who were detained after new evidence and statements were obtained that the two people were killed and buried, were arrested." he said.

Gürlek stated that in the file of Khaled Tayson, an unsolved assailant for 12 years in the Acar village of Kilis, who was found dead in an irrigation well on July 15, 2014, the previous decision of non-prosecution was lifted as a result of the new Forensic Medicine examination, witness statements and base analysis, and 3 suspects were caught within the scope of the restarted investigation.

Gürlek informed that the camera footage, base data and new witness statements were re-evaluated in the file of Fehmi Lup, who was 84 percent disabled and was found dead in Kayseri Asri Cemetery on October 9, and M.C.D, who was found to be connected to the incident, was arrested, and said:

"We will continue to pursue unsolved files with determination, with the opportunities provided by new evidence, developing technology and our specialized units. Whether 3 years or 39 years have passed, we will not give up on tracking the truth and working for justice. We would like to thank the Artvin-Şavşat, Yozgat, Diyarbakır, Eskişehir, Trabzon, Kilis and Kayseri Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices, who carry out the investigations meticulously, Yozgat, Diyarbakır, "I would like to thank our Trabzon and Kayseri Provincial Police Departments, Artvin-Şavşat, Eskişehir and Kilis Provincial-District Gendarmerie Commands and all public officials who contributed."