On his computer "How to push a person?" He called: The final point in the Erdal Sözer case

The incident took place on January 24, 2023, at around 19:00, in Ballıkaya location of Soğuksu village in Altınova district. Semiha Sözer, who lives in Karamürsel district of Kocaeli, fell from a height of approximately 20 meters on the rocks where she went with her husband Erdal Necip Sözer. Upon notice, AFAD and fire brigade teams were dispatched to the region. The teams descended to the rocks and determined that Semiha Sözer had lost her life. Sözer's lifeless body was removed from its location with work that took approximately 2 hours.

During the investigation into the incident, after Erdal Sözer gave contradictory statements, a team consisting of Gendarmerie Public Order, Crime Scene Investigation, Gendarmerie Crime Investigation (JASAT) and Anti-Smuggling and Organized Crime teams was established. While the team was investigating the area, they followed the suspect technically and physically with the permission received from the Public Prosecutor's Office. Sözer was taken into custody 3 months after the incident. After the procedures, Sözer was sentenced to house imprisonment. His sentence was lifted a short time later. After approximately 15 months of multifaceted studies, a committee consisting of academics who are experts in their fields from across the country were appointed as experts. As a result of the work of both the special team of the gendarmerie and the delegation consisting of academics, it was determined that Semiha Sözer fell due to being pushed. Examining the records, the gendarmerie determined that a person who fell from a similar place remained in a flat area, while medical reports revealed that the fractures and bruises on Semiha Sözer's body were much more than those of the person who fell from a similar place. Erdal Sözer was detained again on May 15.

In the examination made on the computer in Erdal Sözer's house, the question 'How can you push a person?' It was determined that a search was made as follows. It was also determined that he repeatedly read a news report about a woman who died after falling off the cliffs in Siirt. The gendarmerie also determined that Erdal Sözer had never met with his wife's family after the incident, and also determined that the suspect had a disagreement with Semiha Sözer, rented a car on the day of the incident, and had dinner together at the restaurant. Erdal Sözer, who was brought to the Altınova Gendarmerie Command and refused to testify, was arrested in the courthouse where he was referred.

In the case heard at Yalova 2nd High Criminal Court, Erdal Sözer was sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment on January 3, 2025. Following the decision of the Bursa Regional Court of Justice dated May 8, 2025, the file was moved to the Supreme Court for appeal review.

The 1st Criminal Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals, which examined the file, unanimously approved the aggravated life imprisonment sentence given to the defendant. The Chamber unanimously approved the decision as amended by adding the phrase "against women" within the scope of subparagraph (f) of the first paragraph of Article 82 of the Turkish Penal Code. The defendant's request for a good conduct discount was also not accepted.

With the decision of the Supreme Court, the aggravated life imprisonment sentence for Erdal Sözer became final.