Former Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel arrested

Former Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel, who was taken into custody in Elazığ and brought to Erzurum as part of the investigation into Gülistan Doku, has been arrested by the court he was brought before following his interrogation by the prosecutor's office.

Tuncay Sonel, who was detained by teams from the Elazığ Provincial Security Directorate and subsequently transported to Erzurum by road, was brought to the Erzurum Courthouse after a 3-day interrogation at the Public Order Branch of the Erzurum Security Directorate. Tuncay Sonel, who was brought to the courthouse under heavy security measures, was questioned regarding the allegations against him in the Gülistan Doku investigation.

Prosecutor's statement

Interesting details emerged from the statement Tuncay Sonel gave to the Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. When asked why the SIM card belonging to Gülistan Doku, one of the most striking details of the investigation, was not handed over to judicial authorities, Sonel responded with the defense of "gaining speed." In his statement, Sonel said, "I saw Aygül Doku crying as I was leaving the Governor's office building. She told me, 'Mr. Governor, there is a SIM card, I cannot reach the prosecutor, they won't take it.' I took it out of humanitarian considerations. Since the search and rescue efforts were continuing intensely, I sent it to Commissioner Gökhan in Ankara, whose technical expertise I trust, in order to quickly check the location information."

When asked about the fact that while expert reports indicated the cameras overlooking the viaduct were active on the day of the incident, police officers had filed a report stating that "the cameras were not working," Sonel replied as follows:

"I did not give the instruction to delete these camera recordings and destroy the evidence. If there is a technical issue within the university, it should be asked there. I have no knowledge of the responses from the General Directorate of Security and the Tunceli Police Department stating that 'there was no malfunction.' The addressee is the Provincial Police Chief."

Sonel, whose interrogation by the prosecutor's office lasted approximately 8 hours, was referred to the 1st Criminal Court of Peace with a request for his arrest on charges of destroying, concealing, or altering criminal evidence (TCK 281/1), obstructing or disrupting the system and destroying data (TCK 244/2), violating the privacy of private life (TCK 134/1), unlawfully obtaining personal data (TCK 136), and damaging, destroying, or concealing an official document (TCK 205).

Following the hearing, the court panel decided to arrest Tuncay Sonel. Tuncay Sonel was subsequently sent to the Erzurum Dumlu High-Security Prison.