'Suicide' claim in Gülistan Doku case collapses: Important statements from her sister

Aygül Doku stated that the case is now being handled with the suspicion of murder and that critical information that could not be shared with the public has been reached.

Speaking to Elif Ekin Saltık from Evrensel, Doku alleged that the Tunceli Governor at the time, Tuncay Sonel, directly managed the process and that pressure was exerted on the family. Stating that some public officials, including the Provincial Director of İŞKUR at the time, suggested to the family that they should "trust the Governor, your daughter committed suicide," Doku said they were not even allowed to mourn. Aygül Doku claimed that the sociologists who were said to have been sent to support the family were also used to monitor and control the process, saying, "Every method was tried to prevent us from making contact with the press and the public. While we were being stalled at the bridge, the case was being covered up."

"THE GOAL WAS TO PROTECT THE KILLER"

Conveying that some divers who participated in the search efforts later contacted them, Doku said, "They told us, 'There is no one here, they are deceiving you.' Even though it was known that Gülistan was not there, the searches continued. The goal was to protect the killer." Aygül Doku argued that state officials and judicial units are now also aware that the suicide thesis has lost its validity.

Saying, "We learned a secret 6 years later," Doku recalled the allegations that the prime suspect, Zaynal Abarakov, and his family were taken abroad, and said that the information and documents in their possession are powerful enough to change the course of the case. Stating that she cannot share details due to a confidentiality order, Doku expressed that everyone who tried to close the investigation will face accountability.

'WE ARE CONCERNED FOR OUR SAFETY'

Expressing that they are concerned for their safety as a family, Aygül Doku said, "If anything happens to one of our family members, the person responsible is the governor of that period. We will not let this case go until Gülistan is found and those responsible are brought to justice."

WHAT HAPPENED?

Gülistan Doku, a student in the Child Development Department at Munzur University, went missing after leaving her dormitory on January 5, 2020. Despite security cameras, phone records, and witness statements, no results have been obtained from the search efforts conducted to date.