Soylu responds to Özgür Özel's 'words that must be said': Tension over the Gülistan Doku investigation

AKP MP Süleyman Soylu, who served as Minister of Interior during the period when Gülistan Doku went missing and her relatives were appealing to the state, responded on social media to Özgür Özel's remarks: "There is a team that emerges from every kind of filth—a part of which has been exposed within the MHP, and Soylu is always on one side of it—we must stand behind those who are brave against the efforts of this team to keep this matter covered up."

Soylu stated, "The words that must be said: The state must not be left under suspicion. Everyone who has been negligent in these investigations or has intervened to derail the investigation must share the same fate as the criminals."

The full text of Soylu's social media post is as follows:

"Özgür Özel,

The words that must be said:

The religion of the state is justice. The words that must be said: This is not about trivializing or politicizing a regrettable incident that happened to one of our daughters; every single possibility must be investigated, probed, and accounted for to the very end.

The words that must be said:

The state must not be left under suspicion. Everyone who has been negligent in these investigations or has intervened to derail the investigation must share the same fate as the criminals.

The words that must be said:

What the Minister of Justice said is correct; no matter where it leads, it must be pursued to the end.

The words that must be said:

No one's office, rank, or position is more valuable than the life of one of our daughters. The words that must be said: It should not be political sophistry; it should not be about 'Soylu-fying' everything just to settle your political scores by thinking 'maybe it will stick here,' it should not be about diluting the case; it should be about demanding that the case be handed over to the arms of justice.

In a case that is in the investigation process and being conducted meticulously, this is all I can say. In order for all the material facts regarding the case to emerge; some should contribute by not politicizing it, some by not diluting it, and those who have information, documents, or testimony should contribute by supporting the judicial process so that justice can be established as soon as possible.

He who has no conscience is not a human being."

WHAT HAPPENED?

In his speech, Özel touched upon the Gülistan Doku investigation and pointed to Soylu.

The full text of Özel's remarks regarding Soylu was as follows:

“As Chekhov famously said, 'If there is a rifle hanging on the wall, it will go off by the end of the play.' If Süleyman Soylu is on one side of this business, it will eventually go off... Even Soylu saying 'we looked into everything' reminds someone of something today. He is telling Erdoğan, 'if this matter is pursued to the end, if it reaches me, I will say things too,' and by doing so, Soylu is trying to influence the fate of the investigation. Otherwise, where did Soylu come from now?

A female chief public prosecutor who has been focusing on this file in Tunceli for two years... Our colleagues who went there returned convinced that she is working on the matter with courage. This female prosecutor has done important work on this matter; we all need to support her and work for the matter to be pursued to the end. We must stand behind those who are brave against the efforts of this team—a team that emerges from every kind of filth, a part of which has been exposed within the MHP, and Soylu is always on one side of it—to keep this matter covered up.”