What happened to Rojvelat, a close friend of Gülistan? 'My sister lived for 3 days, she could have been reached'

SİNEM NAZLI DEMİR

26-year-old Rojvelat Kızmaz went missing in Batman on February 9, 2024. Rojvelat's lifeless body was found 3 days later in the Hasankeyf Dam Lake. Rojvelat's death was initially reported to the public as a "suicide," and the file was closed after a while for this reason. Rojvelat's family believes their daughter's death is suspicious. The family states that the officers at the police station did not carry out the necessary procedures regarding the missing person report for Rojvelat and that the officers did not take the situation seriously when the report was filed.

CONTRADICTORY INFORMATION REGARDING CAMERA FOOTAGE

According to information in the investigation file, there is footage of Rojvelat Kızmaz boarding a minibus heading to Hasankeyf and walking on the bridge. However, the family states that there is contradictory information regarding camera footage at critical points. It is stated that while some footage of Rojvelat boarding and getting off the minibus is in the file, records from the MOBESE (surveillance) cameras at the intersection near her home and the Tüpraş refinery are missing. While the family was told that the refinery cameras were malfunctioning, it is also alleged that some camera records from Hasankeyf were not added to the file.

NO DEFINITIVE DETERMINATION REGARDING THE MOMENT OF THE INCIDENT

The family reports that they were informed that the cameras in the port area and around the Hasankeyf Museum were either not working or did not cover the area. Furthermore, it is noted that there is a gendarmerie unit on duty 24/7 around the dam lake, yet no findings regarding the moment of the incident are reflected in the file. Although Rojvelat's clothes were found neatly removed, the fact that her lifeless body was found approximately 25–30 meters away from that point and in a position against the flow of the water also increases the family's suspicions.

ROJVELAT’S PHONE WAS NOT RETURNED TO THE FAMILY

Regarding the autopsy process, the family states that there is no clear determination of the time of death in the report. It is reported that the doctor who performed the autopsy verbally conveyed that Rojvelat had not been in the water for a long time and that the death might have occurred on the day she came into contact with the water. However, it is stated that no definitive findings could be reached as to how the death occurred. On the other hand, it is stated that Rojvelat's phone was examined but was not returned to the family despite the closure of the investigation, and it is currently inactive.

“THE CAMERAS WERE BROKEN,” THEY SAID

Rojvelat Kızmaz's older brother, Mehmet Kızmaz, explained to 12Punto what happened during the investigation process launched after his sister's death. Stating that some of the surveillance cameras located in certain areas, which could have been important evidence in the file, were "broken" or "not active," Kızmaz spoke about the importance of this deficiency for the file:

“We have question marks regarding my sister's file, and we do not find it correct for this file to be labeled as a “suicide.” The question marks in my sister's file increased even more after Gülistan's file.

“Did similar things happen to both of them at the school they attended together? Or did my sister know something?” we started asking questions like these. There were parts in our file that caught our attention, such as what happened during the search process. For example, there is a Tüpraş intersection in front of the house, and we were told that the cameras at that intersection were broken. Why are they broken? Or it was said that the cameras at the Hasankeyf port, where my sister was seen after the intersection, were also not active. Why aren't they? If they are not active, why are they there? If that camera is not working, what is the point of it being there?”

“MY SISTER LIVED FOR 3 DAYS”

Stating that the search efforts were not carried out as they should have been and that this is why Rojvelat was reached days later, Mehmet Kızmaz drew attention to the fact that there was a gendarmerie booth near the area where Rojvelat's lifeless body was found:

“Another important point is the gendarmerie booth near where my sister was found. This is a booth where it is said that they are on duty 24/7 and that they patrol the water by boat several times a day and intervene if there is a noticeable situation. So, despite all this, how was my sister not noticed? We were ignored during the search process; my sister was not searched for at all. My sister lived for 3 days; the forensic expert who performed the autopsy said this. This means that if my sister had been searched for during those 3 days, she could have been reached while she was alive. We filed a criminal complaint against the law enforcement officers due to these deficiencies, but a decision of “no grounds for prosecution” was issued.”