Lawyers challenge ‘suicide' verdict in suspicious death in Kocaeli prison

Kocaeli's Type-F Closed Prison witnessed the suspicious death of Duygu Koral on March 20, in her solitary room. 

On the day guards entered Duygu's room four times, they discovered her lifeless body hanging in the bathroom during the evening headcount.  

Following an investigation into Koral's questionable death, the prosecutor concluded that there was no need for further legal action. 

The rationale behind the decision emphasized the lack of evidence indicating intent or negligence in Koral's death and the absence of suspicious circumstances. 

Lawyers’ objections 

Attorneys representing Duygu Koral's family, Eren Keskin, Jiyan Tosun, and Jiyan Kaya, contested the decision, asserting that the decision lacked legal conscience and technical scrutiny. 

According to the lawyers, critical details were overlooked in the investigation. The scene analysis lacked a medical professional, and crucial factors, such as the preparation of the hanging apparatus and measurements between the noose and hanging point, were not explored. 

Koral, held in solitary confinement, had been subjected to various disciplinary actions throughout her time in the prison. The lawyers argued that the prosecution failed to investigate how these penalties were executed, especially regarding compliance with the regulations outlined in Law No. 5275, designed to protect inmates from enduring excessive hardships. 

The lawyers highlighted the prison's responsibility in ensuring the well-being of individuals in their care. They questioned which institutions the proponents of reducing public employment aimed to shrink, whether it was the military, police, gendarmerie, intelligence, or essential services like education and health. 

Reported torture  

The attorneys further criticized the prosecution for not investigating whether the reported incidents of torture and ill-treatment declared by Koral's mother had any impact on her decision to end her life. 

Transcriptions of the phone conversations with Koral's mother, where she claimed to have been tortured, were omitted from the prosecutor's decision.  

Furthermore, the prosecutor stated that the scars on Koral's body were determined not to have occurred on the day of the incident, but failed to conduct an examination on when these marks might have appeared.  

“Therefore, the prison's negligence in fulfilling its obligations, inflicting consecutive disciplinary penalties on Duygu Koral without a medical examination, should be acknowledged as a potential factor leading to her inability to endure the solitary confinement, possibly resulting in her tragic demise. In such a scenario, the institution's neglect should be considered a contributing factor to the occurrence of the incident,” noted the lawyers. 

Speaking to bianet, lawyers Jiyan Tosun and Jiyan Kaya expressed their skepticism about the suicide narrative, indicating that the prison's CCTV footage raised suspicions. They pointed out that guards entered Duygu's room four times on the day of her death, claiming it was due to her perceived aggressive personality. 

The lawyers emphasized the need for a comprehensive inquiry, noting the similarities between Koral's case and a previous suspicious death, Garibe Gezer, in the same prison in 2021. They questioned the adequacy of the investigation, citing the lack of statements from guards who entered Duygu's room and the failure to label any of them as suspects. 

This mysterious death, the second in the same prison, raises concerns about the possibility of severe or psychological violence, especially considering the parallels with Garibe Gezer's questionable death shortly before the end of her sentence. 

*Respecting the family's wishes, the lawyers did not allow the release of prison footage, deeming it potentially distressing. 

*Our efforts to reach Kocaeli Prison for comments were unsuccessful, as repeated calls to their phone lines went unanswered. 

(EMK/VK)