WHAT HAPPENED TO GÜLİSTAN DOKU?

Search efforts for missing Gülistan Doku ended again

Gülistan Doku, a student of Munzur University in Dersim, has been missing since January 5, 2020. The search efforts for the missing woman were ongoing in the Uzunçayır Dam Lake, near which Doku was last seen.

İstanbul

Search efforts for missing Gülistan Doku ended again

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

The fate and whereabouts of university student Gülistan Doku have been unknown since January 5, 2020. Doku was last seen in Dersim province, where she was a student at Munzur University, and the search efforts for the missing woman were going on in the Uzunçayır Dam Lake.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the third search effort that started on October 15 has been ended as no trace of her is found.

After Doku was reported missing, the first search efforts began on January 7 in the Uzunçayır Dam Lake, near which she was last seen, as it was alleged that Gülistan Doku may have committed suicide.

This first search effort was halted on July 6. Upon the request of the Doku family, the water level in the dam lake was reduced and the search efforts resumed on August 7. This search was also ended on August 18.

What happened?

University student Gülistan Doku did not return to the Credit and Dormitories (KYK) Women's Dormitory on January 5, 2020. As her roommates could not reach her by phone, they got worried and appealed to the Tunceli Provincial Directorate of Security. Her family was also informed about the issue. The family came to Dersim on January 6 and reported Gülistan Doku missing at the security directorate.

Consulting her friends and tracking the signals of her mobile phone, police officers also examined the city surveillance cameras and found that she got on the university minibus at the bus stop in Atatürk Neighborhood at 11.29. However, even though the city surveillance cameras along the way were examined, it could not be determined where she got off.

The driver of the minibus was identified and summoned to depose. The driver said that the minibus did not enter the university as it was Sunday, the minibus returned empty and he could not remember where Gülistan Doku got off.

It is speculated that Doku got off at Sarı Saltuk Bridge in the city center, the only bus stop outside the sight of surveillance cameras.

Thanks to the struggle of women and the Doku family, the authorities decided to drain the water of the dam to find her.

On June 17, a petition was submitted to the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to arrest Zeınal Abarakov, the chief suspect of the file.

On August 29, the expert report was completed. Afterwards, Ali Çimen, the attorney of the Doku family, made another application for the arrest of Abaravakov. Rejecting this request, the Tunceli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office decided to take his deposition.

On August 4, the expert review of the footage that allegedly shows Gülistan Doku jumping off a bridge was completed.

According to the review by the National Criminal Bureau firm, what is seen in the footage is not Doku jumping off the Dinar Bridge, where she was last seen, but "residual pixels."

"The effect on the bridge abutment is a pixel residue and definitely not a water column created by a person or object that falls into the water," the report concluded.

In a statement released by the Tunceli Governor's Office on August 18, 2020, it was announced that the search efforts ongoing in the dam ended.

Coordinated by Governor's Office, search efforts started in the dam again on October 15.

(EMK/SD)