Access Blocked to bianet Report on Access Block on bianet Report

The killing of Sevim Tanürek

Here is how Tanürek was killed, according to the Cumhuriyet report that was blocked by İstanbul 9th Penal Judgeship of Peace in Order No. 2018/3229 on June 19, 2018.

Sevim Tanürek, a Turkish classical music artist at the state-run TRT İstanbul Radio, was hit by a car while she was walking on a pedestrian crossing in Şişli district on May 11, 1998. The driver was Burak Erdoğan, the son of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who was the Mayor of İstanbul Metropolitan Municipality at the time.

Immediately after the accident, water tenders of the municipality arrived and cleaned traces of blood and brakes on the street.

In the traffic report about Ahmet Burak Erdoğan, the error rate was determined as three out of eighth because of "absentminded driving." The prosecutor demanded a prison sentence from 3 to 20 months, on the basis of the police report.

Sevim Tanürek died in the hospital on May 16, 1998.

After her death, an additional indictment was issued against Ahmet Burak Erdoğan and the requested prison term was changed to 2 to 5 years.

Mayor Erdoğan immediately provided a grave for Sevim Tanürek and covered the hospital expenses. The family withdrew their complaint. However, the case continued.

The court asked the Forensic Medicine Traffic Specialization Department for an accident report. The department, headed by mechanical engineer Eyüp Çakmak, released a report that said Burak Erdoğan was "totally faultless" and the error rate of Tanürek was eight out of eight.

The court acquitted Burak Erdoğan.

After Erdoğan became the prime minister, Çakmak was appointed as the Deputy General Director of Maritime Business.