Interior Minister Çiftçi: We have launched a multi-faceted fight against content that provokes society

Interior Minister Mustafa Çiftçi met with the editors-in-chief of television channels and newspapers. Making statements on many topics regarding the agenda, Çiftçi also touched upon the issue of unsolved murders.

UNSOLVED MURDERS

"Our primary priority in crimes targeting human life, such as intentional homicide, is to clarify every incident and deliver every perpetrator to justice," Çiftçi said, adding, "Since 2003, 97.2 percent of intentional homicide cases have been solved."

Noting that there has been a very serious decline in unsolved files in recent years, Çiftçi said, "Red notices have been issued for 262 individuals. Opinions for red notices have been requested for 94 individuals. All national and international mechanisms are being operated to capture perpetrators who are hiding domestically or have fled abroad."

Making statements regarding the Gülistan Doku file, Minister Çiftçi stated that they have determined that Umut Altaş, one of the key figures in the file, entered the USA illegally via Mexico.

Using the phrase, "A red notice decision has been issued for him, and he is currently being sought within the USA," Çiftçi said, "This shows us the following: Crossing borders does not mean escaping pursuit. No individual who takes a human life or plays a key role in such files will escape our pursuit, no matter where they are."

NEW GENERATION CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS

Stating that criminal organizations that have emerged recently give themselves nicknames inspired by cartoon characters, Çiftçi assessed, "These emerging groups have differences from the mafia groups of the past period."

CYBER PATROLS AFTER SCHOOL ATTACKS

Adding that they are not only focusing on the security dimension in the field following school attacks, Çiftçi continued as follows:

"We have also launched a rapid and multi-faceted fight against content on digital platforms that praises crime, encourages aggression, attempts to create fear and public outrage, and provokes society. Because today we see that crime is not only committed on the street; it is also spreading, being praised, legitimized, and becoming copyable in the digital sphere. Comprehensive studies were carried out under the coordination of our General Directorate of Security's Cybercrime Combat Department. In 2025, 210 thousand 234 account managers or users were identified, and as of April 16, 2026, 86 thousand 937 account managers or users were identified. Following the school attacks in Şanlıurfa Siverek and Kahramanmaraş Onikişubat, legal processes were initiated against 481 account managers or users with aggressive content. 379 account managers or users with provocative content were also reported to the relevant units within the same scope. Content removal and access blocking procedures were carried out for 7 thousand 496 URLs linked to the incidents. In total, content removal or access blocking decisions were applied for 7 thousand 755 URLs."

Minister Çiftçi announced that 259 channels operating on Telegram belonging to the structure named C31K were also shut down.

"Legal action was also taken through 150 social media accounts that made provocative posts regarding the incident in Kahramanmaraş," Çiftçi said, adding, "Access blocking requests were made for 515 accounts and individuals who negatively affect public order, praise crime and criminals, and spread disinformation. Action was taken against 58 account managers or users, including the administrator of the Telegram group named 'TETİKCİLER 34'. In this context, 14 users were arrested."

Emphasizing that their approach is clear, Çiftçi said, "Just as we do not tolerate crime in real life, we intervene with the same determination against content that praises crime and poisons society on digital platforms," underlining that the virtual space is not an ownerless area where one can step outside the law.

NEW SECURITY PARADIGM

"Moving forward only with classical methods in the fight against crime and criminals can no longer carry us to the goal on its own. Because crime types are changing. Criminal profiles are changing. Risk areas are changing," Minister Çiftçi said, and continued his words as follows:

“We are talking about a strong state reflex that gets to the source of the crime, sees the risk in advance, detects the threat at an early stage, and is based on preventing the crime before it occurs. We are no longer speaking from a place that only keeps a tally of crime and criminals. We are talking about a broader security architecture that identifies the veins that feed crime, dries up those veins, and keeps our children and young people away from risk areas. The transformation in its structure and new problem areas in urban life make it necessary to rebuild the understanding of security. Taking all these parameters into account, we are putting forward a 'new security paradigm.' This paradigm goes beyond the understanding that comes into play after a crime is committed. While doing this, we benefit from technology, artificial intelligence, data analysis, and digital tracking capacity. At the same time, we place academic and scientific data, field research, strategic analyses, and institutional memory at the center of our security policies. Because without solid data, the right policy cannot be established. Without the right analysis, permanent results cannot be obtained. This struggle is not a struggle that can be carried only on the shoulders of public institutions.”

Çiftçi added that with the new security paradigm, they have gone beyond the understanding of chasing crime and are building a future that prevents crime before it is born and protects society.

STAGE REACHED IN GÜLİSTAN DOKU INVESTIGATION

“The disappearance of Gülistan Doku is a highly sensitive file that has left deep marks on the conscience of our nation,” Çiftçi said, adding, “Our primary priority in this file is to reveal the material truth in all its aspects and to reach a result that will satisfy the public conscience. The investigation is being carried out meticulously under the coordination of the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. All evidence in the file is being re-evaluated,” he said, providing information on the latest situation.

Çiftçi said, “As the Ministry, we have not left the allegations reflected in the public opinion unanswered.”

Reminding that with the approval order dated April 17, 2026, two Civil Inspectors were assigned to investigate the allegations against the then-Tunceli Governor Tuncay Sonel and the statements that evidence was obscured, Çiftçi continued as follows:

“With the approval of the same date, Tuncay Sonel was suspended from duty. He was taken into custody on April 17 and arrested by the relevant court on April 21. With the approval order dated April 20, 2026, 2 more Civil Inspectors and 2 Police Inspectors were also assigned. Thus, it was ensured that both the allegations and the effectiveness of the investigation process were examined in all aspects. The fact that it has clarified the homicide incident and captured 83 intentional homicide fugitives is also an indication of the capacity and seriousness in this file. This accumulation and experience are also being used at the highest level in the Gülistan Doku file.”

Çiftçi said, "The security and justice gears of our state are operating. For what comes next, if our inspectors detect participation or negligence, no one will be spared, and they will be delivered to justice. No one can have the privilege of committing a crime or turning a blind eye to crime."

CLARIFICATION OF UNSOLVED MURDERS

Minister Çiftçi said, “When unsolved files are reopened, when we are asked for help on this matter as the Ministry of Interior, that is, from the units affiliated with us, we will mobilize all our resources regarding the clarification of unsolved murders retrospectively. In addition, our special teams within both the Police and the Gendarmerie are carrying out work with special teams to clarify unsolved murders.”

WATCHMAN AND GKK SUPPORT FOR SCHOOL SECURITY

Stating that there are 30 thousand watchmen within the General Directorate of Security, Minister Çiftçi said that these watchmen work after sunset. Noting that the authority to work outside of the night was given to the Minister of Interior, Minister Çiftçi said, "I have delegated this authority to our 81 provincial governors. The authority to determine their working hours is now with our provincial governors."

The Minister stated that there are both watchmen and 50 thousand security guards, and in a terror-free Turkey, these village guards have started to be utilized in places deemed appropriate by governors or the gendarmerie.

Minister Mustafa Çiftçi made the following assessments:

"It falls under the responsibility of the Ministry of National Education, but a staff position can be given to schools for security guards from the General Budget. It can be evaluated in the form of service procurement, that is, they can be employed. There is a practice that has been in effect for a long time where meetings are held twice a year according to the existing risk analysis in schools. Here, the risk analysis was shaped mainly according to the socio-cultural and economic environment and public order incidents in the neighborhood where the school is located. The incident where the attack took place in Kahramanmaraş was in the risk-free group according to this risk analysis. Now, with this new regulation, we are redoing the risk analysis from scratch. We are putting an approach that centers the student into the risk factor.

We already have our police in our first-degree and second-degree risky schools. We also have coordination officers in third and fourth-degree risky schools. That is, there are people to contact when there is an issue, when there is a problem.

On one hand with our school police, on the other hand with our night watchmen, by changing their working hours, with our security guards, and perhaps with the security staff positions to be given to the Ministry of National Education, this work will become a bit more sustainable. But in its current state, it is not sustainable for us to give two police officers to every school. There are 75 thousand schools across the country. It is not sustainable in the long run for us to employ 150,000 people there."

News Source: 12punto