SARYA DENİZ

News Center - Gülistan Doku, a second-year student at Munzur University's Child Development Department, has been missing since January 5, 2020. She went missing after leaving the dormitory. Her family living in Amed (Turkish: Diyarbakır) went to Dersim on the day Gülistan Doku went missing and reported their daughter went missing. After their report, search efforts started but the searches were ineffective. There are still unanswered questions about her disappearance.

The last signal was received from her phone on Sarı Saltuk Viaduct in Uzunçayır Dam Reservoir. The last images filmed by a camera of a vehicle show Gülistan was on the viaduct. The search efforts in the area were ineffective. Police only focused on the claims saying Gülistan Doku had committed “suicide”. 

The only suspect is free

During the investigation launched by the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, two surveillance cameras were detected around the Sarı Saltuk Viaduct; however, these cameras were said to be out of work. The last person, who saw Gülistan Doku, was identified as Zeynel Abarakov. He was taken into custody but then he was released from detention on probation. He is the only suspect but he is free now.

The family and lawyers of Gülistan Doku have been demanding justice and an effective investigation into her disappearance since she went missing. Despite all of their efforts, they have got no result. The family members went to Ankara and requested a meeting with the Ministry of Justice but Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ refused to meet them because “he wasn’t available”. The family tried to make their voices heard in front of the ministry; however, they were stopped and prevented by police. On February 23, 2022, Peoples’ Democratic Party (HDP) MPs submitted a Parliamentary inquiry to investigate the fate and whereabouts of Gülistan Doku; however, their Parliamentary inquiry was rejected by the AKP and MHP.

Gülistan Doku’s family, lawyers, women and NGOs have been asking “Where is Gülistan Doku” for three years. Police attacked the women asking the fate of Gülistan Doku . Some women were taken into custody while trying to issue press statements about Gülistan Doku. Despite arrest, detention and police violence, women keep asking, “Where is Gülistan Doku?”