10 suspects detained in unsolved murder in Batman illuminated after 19 years

Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek announced to the public that a murder case file, which occurred in 2007 in the Kozluk district of Batman province and remained unsolved for many years, has been successfully illuminated. According to the statement made by Minister Gürlek on his social media accounts, the investigation regarding the matter has been taken up again as a result of the intense coordination and meticulous studies of the Bureau of Investigation of Unsolved Crimes, a special unit established within the Ministry of Justice. This work is of great importance, not only to resolve a case but also to strengthen citizens' faith in justice and reassure the public conscience. The Minister emphasized that illuminating unsolved files is one of the most important requirements of the principle of the rule of law and stated that the issue is being followed up. Determining the identity of the male body found in Batman was the first and most critical step in resolving the encrypted issue from the past.

In detailed examinations carried out within the scope of the investigation, it was definitively determined through DNA analysis that the male body found in the Kozluk district in 2007, whose identity could not be determined, belonged to Aydın Özcan, who has had no official record since that year. This important scientific finding constituted a turning point in the process of illuminating the event and clarified the fate of the individual who was being sought as a missing person. During the investigation process conducted in coordination by the Batman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the Kozluk Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices, the intense work carried out by law enforcement forces on the ground and technical tracking activities were of great importance. As a result of the cross-examination of new evidence obtained and witness statements, it was possible to illuminate the event, and the contribution of every unit involved in this process is valuable not to be underestimated. With the finalization of the DNA examination, the legal ground necessary for the identification of the murder suspects has been prepared.

In light of the operation conducted and the concrete evidence obtained, legal action has been initiated against 10 suspects whose connection to the murder was identified, and the suspects have been detained. The technical and physical surveillance carried out by special teams within the Gendarmerie Organization, particularly by the Gendarmerie Crime Investigation Team (JASAT), played a decisive role in identifying the suspects. The judicial process is meticulously continuing for the taking of statements of the detained suspects and the in-depth investigation of their connections with the murder. As a result of the coordinated work provided between the Ministries of Justice and the Interior, concrete progress has been recorded in this case, which remained in the background for years. It was stated that the procedures of the suspects are continuing and the necessary evidence is being collected to illuminate the event in all aspects.

Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek offered his thanks for their successes to the Batman and Kozluk Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices, the Gendarmerie Organization, and the Gendarmerie Crime Investigation Team (JASAT) teams for contributing to the illumination of this file after approximately 19 years. In his statement, Minister Gürlek emphasized that the government will continue to work resolutely on illuminating unsolved incidents that deeply wound the public conscience. It was underlined that in the work carried out on this issue, there is determination not only for today but also for accounting for the past. It was shared that the special presidency established within the Ministry of Justice continues its activities continuously to illuminate similar unsolved files and that the studies continue uninterruptedly. It was stated that the necessary legal and administrative arrangements are made for the solution of files left in the past and waiting to be illuminated one by one.

This event also has significance in terms of showing the determination and capacity of the legal system in Turkey to resolve even past events. Illuminating unsolved files is an important process that reinforces the perception of the rule of law in society in general, not just for the relatives of the victims. The applied technical and scientific methods, especially the effectiveness of DNA tests and the work carried out by special teams on the ground, have proven their place once again in the solution of such cases. The harmonious work between the Ministries of Interior and Justice has enabled the file to be closed even after such a long period of time. Minister Gürlek conveyed to the public that no sacrifice will be spared for the illumination of similar cases and that all means are mobilized for the establishment of justice. The work carried out is predicted to have a deterrent effect on crimes to be committed in the future.