Politics · Turkey · 9 hrs ago
Turkey reopens five missing-person and suspected murder cases
Turkey reopened five long-unsolved cases involving people who went missing in Manisa, Ankara, Batman, Aydın and Istanbul.
The cases concern Cennet Arıkan, Uğur Şimşek, Ekrem Bakar, Elife Doğrul and Sefa Soyalp, whose disappearances date from 2003 to 2020.
Investigators reviewed DNA, phone and location records, witness statements and other evidence.
Four suspects were jailed in the Manisa case, while one suspect was jailed in each of the Ankara and Batman cases.
Seven suspects were detained in the Aydın case, and six in the Istanbul case; the statements do not say that anyone was jailed in those two cases.
The justice minister said the work helped resolve five cases, and separately said 73 case files involving 80 murders had been taken out of the unsolved category.
Investigations will continue to determine what happened to the missing people and identify those responsible.
Turkey has reopened five unsolved missing-person and suspected murder cases in Manisa, Ankara, Batman, Aydın and Istanbul.
The cases concern Cennet Arıkan, Uğur Şimşek, Ekrem Bakar, Elife Doğrul and Sefa Soyalp, who went missing between 2003 and 2020.
Authorities say they used DNA analysis, phone and location records, witness statements and other evidence in the investigations.
A total of 28 suspects were detained across the five cases, and six were reported arrested.
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said 73 case files involving 80 killings had been resolved as unsolved crimes.
- Who
- Turkish investigators and prosecutors, coordinated by the Justice Ministry, are investigating five cases involving the missing people.
- What
- Authorities reopened the cases and detained 28 suspects; six were reported arrested.
- When
- The cases were reported on November 9, 2026. The disappearances occurred between 2003 and 2020.
- Where
- Manisa, Ankara, Batman, Aydın and Istanbul, Turkey.
- Why
- Investigators are seeking to determine what happened to the missing people and identify those responsible for suspected killings.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Elife Doğrul was last heard from, according to the report.
Ekrem Bakar went missing.
Cennet Arıkan went missing.
Sefa Soyalp went missing after travelling from Kırıkkale to Istanbul.
Uğur Şimşek went missing after travelling from Sivas to Ankara.
A human skull found in Gölbaşı was identified by DNA analysis as belonging to Uğur Şimşek.
- Cases reopened
- 5
- Locations
- Manisa, Ankara, Batman, Aydın and Istanbul
- Suspects detained
- 28 across the five cases
- Suspects arrested
- 6 reported across three cases
- Longest-running case
- Elife Doğrul, missing since 2003
2 sources
What people are saying
We will bring perpetrators who have hidden behind the passage of years before justice: we have removed 80 killings in 73 case files from the category of unsolved crimes!
The passage of years since a person goes missing does not change the fact that their family is waiting for answers.
No matter how much time has passed, we will continue to mobilize all our resources to determine the fate of our missing citizens, identify those responsible and stand by families waiting for justice.