A court has sentenced Tuğyan Ülkem Gülter to aggravated life imprisonment for killing her mother, singer Gül Tut, known professionally as Güllü, who died after falling from a sixth-floor window last year.
The verdict was delivered at the second hearing of the trial at the Yalova 1st Heavy Penal Court. Gülter, who had been held in pretrial detention on charges of premeditated murder of a parent, denied the accusations throughout the proceedings.
Güllü died on Sep 26, 2025, after falling from her apartment window in the Çınarcık district of Yalova, northwestern Turkey. The court determined that she was pushed by Gülter.
The investigation led to the detention of Gülter and her friend Sultan Nur Ulu, who was also present in the apartment at the time of the incident. Gülter was subsequently arrested, while Ulu was initially placed under house arrest. Prosecutors charged Ulu with giving false testimony, seeking a prison sentence of two to four years.
Conflicting accounts
During today's hearing, Gülter, 28, said she had been dancing and singing with her mother and Ulu shortly before the fall.
"Then there was a sound. When I turned around, my mother was gone. Then I shouted to Sultan, 'Run.' We went downstairs together," she told the court.
Gülter denied pushing her mother, insisting that her back had been turned at the time.
Ulu, however, testified at the previous hearing that she had witnessed Gülter throw her mother from the window. She also alleged that Gülter threatened her at Güllü's funeral, saying, "If you expose me, I'll expose you too."
Ulu said she initially gave a different account because she was in shock.
Defense challenges evidence
The trial also examined security recordings from cameras inside the apartment containing the phrase "See you later," heard around the time of the fall.
Gülter's lawyer, Merve Uçanok, argued that the voice belonged to Güllü and presented a video of the singer using the same phrase.
Uçanok also raised the possibility of an accidental fall, citing photographs of objects near the window and an initial autopsy report describing a slippery surface.
She questioned whether Güllü could have been thrown from the window without resisting and argued that Gülter would not have committed the act in front of a witness while knowing cameras were present.
In her final statement, Gülter again denied the allegations and accused witnesses of making false statements.
"I do not accept the accusations against me. I never saw the moment my mother fell," she said. "No matter what sentence you give me, I know I am innocent.
After a recess, the court announced its verdict, sentencing Gülter to aggravated life imprisonment.
About Güllü
A person of Roma decent, Gül Tut was born on Oct 15, 1973, in the Kasımpaşa neighborhood of İstanbul’s Beyoğlu district.
She began singing in nightclubs at an early age and started performing at wedding venues when she was 15. Nightclub owners were reluctant to hire her because of her age, forcing her to return to school for a time. She eventually dropped out due to financial difficulties and pursued her music career.
She rose to fame in the 1990s under the stage name "Kasımpaşalı Güllü" (Güllü of Kasımpaşa), gaining recognition for her performances of Roma music and arabesque-pop songs. Her albums and personal life frequently attracted media attention, and she became one of the most popular singers of the era.
Güllü took a break from performing for a period during her marriage. She had two children and resumed her music career after divorcing in 2000. In 2008, she was hospitalized with alcohol poisoning in Kartal's Yakacık neighborhood and recovered after receiving treatment.
In 2021, Güllü attended the QueerFest event in Ankara, where she unfurled a transgender pride flag.
Throughout her career, Güllü released numerous hit songs, including "Kasımpaşalıyım," "Gülüm Var," "Oyuncak Gibi," "Değmezmiş Sana," "Balıkesir Bandırma" and "Benim Vicdanım Rahat."
She died on Sep 26, 2025, after falling from the balcony of her home in Yalova's Çınarcık district.
(VK)
