‘Investigation into suspicious death of Nadira Kadirova is still ongoing’

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The Parliamentary question of main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) İstanbul MP Sezgin Tanrıkulu regarding the death of Nadira Kadirova has been answered by the Directorate General of Security.

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23-year-old Kadirova from Uzbekistan was found dead on September 23, 2019 in the house of Şirin Ünal, an MP from the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). She was claimed to shot herself dead with Ünal's weapon. The prosecutor's office also concluded that there was a lack of grounds for legal action and closed her investigation file on March 5.

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Parliamentary question answered 9 months later

CHP MP Tanrıkulu addressed his Parliamentary question to Vice President Fuat Oktay on October 7, 2019. The Directorate General of Security has responded on behalf of the Vice President nine months later.

In contrast with the decision of non-prosecution given by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office on March 2, 2020, the Directorate has indicated that the investigation into Kadirova's death is still ongoing:

"Law enforcement officers fulfil their duties with the aim of establishing and maintaining public order and security, by the authority vested in them by the laws and abiding by the principle of rule of law, and these duties are fulfilled within the knowledge and instruction of judicial authorities.

"With regard to the incident cited in the Parliamentary question, the inquiry with the investigation file no. 2019/148242 is still ongoing."

Most recently, the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office gave a decision of non-prosecution on March 2, 2020. The objection against this decision was also rejected on May 8.

What happened?

23-year-old Nadira Kadirova from Uzbekistan was a domestic worker caring for the ill wife of Şirin Ünal, an İstanbul MP for the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

Kadirova was found dead in Ünal's house on September 23, 2019.

It was alleged that she committed suicide with Ünal's weapon. The post-mortem procedures of Kadirova were followed by Ünal's chauffeur and the procedures that usually take longer were completed in a few days. After this swift post-mortem examination, the deceased body of Kadirova was sent to her home country and laid to rest there.

The death of Kadirova was found suspicious. While women kept asking "What happened to Nadira?" on social media, the MPs of the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), Peoples' Democratic Party (HDP) and Felicity Party (SP) brought the issue to the Parliamentary agenda.

In March 2020, the prosecutor's office gave a decision of non-prosecution. (EMK/SD)