Arif Ahmet Denizolgun’s death deemed suspicious: Investigation launched against Alihan Kuriş for homicide

A new development has occurred in the investigation into the death of Arif Ahmet Denizolgun, the former leader of the Süleymancı community and former Minister of Transport, who passed away on September 7, 2016.

The Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office announced that an expert report from the Council of Forensic Medicine (ATK) specialist, dated August 25, 2026, based on autopsy video footage, classified the death as a “suspicious death.” Following this finding, it was announced that an investigation is being conducted against Alihan Kuriş and other suspects, initially for the crime of “homicide.”

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office recalled that the October 17, 2016, report from the Council of Forensic Medicine’s Morgue Specialization Department had listed the cause of Denizolgun’s death as “natural death due to brain hemorrhage.” It was noted that an investigation is also underway against the doctors who signed that report for “forgery of official documents.”

The statement further indicated that the prosecutor's office had requested the autopsy video footage in letters dated February 24, June 1, and July 14, 2026; these requests were initially met with responses stating that “no such record exists,” but on August 18, 2026, it was reported that the record had been found and it was subsequently submitted. It was stated that an investigation into the administrator of the Council of Forensic Medicine regarding this process is also ongoing.

The Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that the investigation will be expanded and continued in line with the exhumation process, correspondence with the Council of Forensic Medicine and the Riva Police Station, HTS (historical traffic search) records, correspondence with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the response to the writ regarding the estate file, and statements to be taken.

The Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office made the following statement regarding the expert report on Denizolgun:

"In the investigation initiated by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Organized Crime Bureau regarding the allegations concerning the passing of former Minister of Transport Arif Ahmet Denizolgun on 07/09/2016; in light of the “suspicious death” finding in the expert report by the ATK specialist prof. dr. dated 25/08/2026, based on the video recording of the deceased's autopsy; an investigation is being conducted against the complained-of Alihan Kuriş and other suspects, initially for the crime of “Homicide”; and against the doctors who signed the Council of Forensic Medicine Morgue Specialization Department report dated 17/10/2016 and numbered 70898959-101.02-16/76937/4012, which stated “natural death due to brain hemorrhage,” as well as against the Council of Forensic Medicine administrator who initially responded to our Chief Public Prosecutor's Office's request letters dated 24/02/2026, 01/06/2026, and 14/07/2026 for the submission of the autopsy video recording by essentially stating “no such record exists,” but then sent the record on 18/08/2026 stating that the record did exist, initially for the crime of “Forgery of Official Documents.” The investigation will be carried out meticulously and expanded based on the results of the exhumation process; the results of correspondence with the Council of Forensic Medicine; the results of correspondence with the Riva Police Station, which first handled the death incident; HTS records; the results of correspondence with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; the response to the writ written to the estate file at the Civil Court of Peace; and other evidence to be collected through ongoing statement-taking procedures."

***

WHAT HAPPENED?

In a statement made by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on August 18, it was reported that allegations and complaints had been filed claiming that the death of Arif Ahmet Denizolgun, who passed away in September 2016, and the subsequent autopsy procedures were suspicious.

It was stated that an exhumation decision was taken in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code in order to conduct a re-examination to determine the true cause of death of the deceased.

In line with the decision, the Deputy Chief Prosecutor, the public prosecutor, experts from the Istanbul Council of Forensic Medicine, and crime scene investigation teams arrived at Denizolgun's grave on August 19.

Parts of Denizolgun's remains were taken from the grave opened by the officials and transported to the Council of Forensic Medicine for examination, and the samples taken from the grave were re-interred after the procedures were completed.

News Source: 12punto