Attorneys representing the family of journalist and documentarian Hakan Tosun are demanding a broader investigation into his death, citing new footage and unanswered questions about the handling of evidence.
Tosun, 50, died three days after suffering two back-to-back assaults on the night of Oct 10 while walking in İstanbul’s Esenyurt district. He had been in a coma following the attacks.
At a press conference held yesterday in Beyoğlu, İstanbul, the lawyers presented surveillance footage collected by the prosecutor’s office, according to a report by Kısa Dalga. The 11-minute video compiled from the footage shows Tosun being attacked while bystanders in vehicles watched and pedestrians passed without intervening.
The lawyers said that one individual seen in the footage was released after being questioned as a “witness,” though they believe he was actively involved in the assault.
According to the footage, Tosun arrived in Esenyurt via public transportation and sat for about 30 minutes at a bus stop near his mother’s home. A black BMW then parked nearby, and an 18-year-old suspect is seen approaching Tosun.
The suspect began striking Tosun, targeting his head. He left afterwards.
Three people eventually walked toward the direction of the BMW. Two entered the car, and one got on a motorcycle. Witnesses said Tosun told the group, “Don’t come near me. I'm tired. Stay away.”
Tosun managed to get up and began walking. The motorcycle returned with two riders. One got off and struck Tosun in the head again. The black BMW returned, and another person exited the car and assaulted Tosun once more. The group then fled, two on the motorcycle and one in the car.
Only after the attackers left did people approach Tosun. While some stayed near him, the attackers on the motorcycle returned again. One dismounted and walked away. Later, a nearby parked vehicle pulled away, and another car took its place. That driver saw Tosun on the ground but left without taking any action.
'Evidence still found a week later'
After the video screening, attorney Onur Cingil criticized the collection of evidence. “Relatives who went to leave carnations at the scene a week later found Hakan Tosun’s earring,” he said. “Even a week later, evidence was still lying there.”
Cingil said Tosun’s ID and wallet remain missing. His bag was first logged at the hospital and later officially registered at the Mevlana Police Station on Oct 15.
“There could have been incitement related to a previous issue,” Cingil added. “He had been seen earlier in Şişli and Galata, so it’s possible he was being followed. This might not be an isolated incident. The attacker got off the motorcycle and assaulted him directly. He knew Hakan. The person who kicked him after getting out of the car also knew him. Either he was followed beforehand or this is linked to something else. That’s why we now have footage from the side streets.”
Cingil noted that police recorded Tosun’s fingerprints at 19.00 on Oct 11 to identify him, but no other action was taken for 19 hours.
“The timing matters, because this was exactly when people began asking ‘What happened to Hakan Tosun?’ on social media,” he said.
Assailants heard as witnesses
Cingil said two suspects in the BMW were called in by phone and gave statements to police on Oct 12 at 23.45. A motorcycle suspect was also questioned as a witness and released. His current whereabouts are unknown.
The legal team said they located 17 security cameras across three streets near the scene. However, none of those recordings were included in the case file.
“One of the cameras the police tried to access belongs to a relative of a suspect. When the shop owner said the camera wasn’t recording, the police simply documented that and left,” Cingil said.
Reminding that security footage is only stored for 15 days, Cingil stressed the need for urgency.
“Authorities must first clarify what happened at the scene, then investigate potential negligence at the hospital,” he said. He also noted that the case file contains no toxicology test results for the detained suspects.
Cingil also raised concerns about witness intimidation and tampering with evidence.
“We believe this incident had a prelude. The man who got off the motorcycle recognized Hakan. It must be investigated whether he was being followed from the moment he entered the subway," he said. "Whether this trail leads to public officials remains to be seen. But if the evidence had been collected the night of Jan 10, there would be no need for this press conference today.”
'Why didn’t he go home?'
İstanbul Bar Association President Prof. Dr. İbrahim Kaboğlu pointed out that the video showed Tosun sitting near his mother’s house for half an hour, asking whether he may have been waiting for someone.
Attorney Hakan Bozyurt suggested Tosun may have been resting and noted that he did not appear to defend himself during the assault.
Tosun’s sister, Öznur Tosun, added, “He may have deliberately avoided going home. Maybe he didn’t want to lead the attackers to our family’s house.” (VK)
