Gülistan Doku missing for 234 days: ‘Who is Zaynal? What connections does he have?’

* Photo: Twitter

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University student Gülistan Doku has been missing in Turkey's eastern province of Dersim since January 5, 2020.

Dersim Women's Platform made a statement for Doku at Seyit Rıza Square in the province yesterday (August 24). While several women attended the protest, Tuba Apaydın read out the statement on behalf of the platform. Some highlights from the statement were as follows:

"Gülistan Doku previously said, 'You raise your voice so that violence hushes.' How grave that we are now here for Gülistan, whose fate and whereabouts have been unknown for 233 days.

"As if there was concrete evidence proving that Gülistan committed suicide, they searched for her only in the water for over 7 months. In this process, while the collective memory of the society and women pointed somewhere else, former Governor of Tunceli Tuncay Sonel and some public officials constantly tried to create an impression that Gülistan committed suicide.

'Former governor stalled us'

"Trying to keep us in a constant pressure and check during this process, Tuncay Sonel stalled us by promising that he would take Gülistan from the water and perhaps, by doing this, he manages to prevent this incident from standing in the way of his appointment to the place(s) that he wanted to work. He left Dersim as if nothing had happened.

"The efforts solely focusing on the water all through this process prevented other evidence from being collected. Gülistan has been missing for 233 days and we keep on asking the same questions:

'Why did you turn a blind eye to his moving?'

"While there are so many suspicious incidents, why is there no effective investigation against Zaynal Abakarov? Who is Zaynal Abakarov and what type of connections does he have?

"While the women and her friends questioning the fate and whereabouts of Gülistan are facing pressures such as being detained, having their scholarships cut and being expelled from dorms, why did you turn a blind eye to Zaynal and his family's moving out of Dersim?

'Were appointments coincidental?'

"According to witness statements and phone signals, it is understood that Gülistan Doku was still alive at around 4.30 p.m. on January 5, 2020. Why did you collect no data as to what Abakarov and his family were doing and where they were after 4 p.m. on January 5?

"Is it true that several people who might at least have information about the incident have been appointed to other cities? Is it coincidental?

"If the case of Gülistan Doku was not connected to Abakarov, why isn't it brought to light? Is there anything that we don't know about the incident? Who will answer for the sorrow of a family for 233 days?"

(RT/SD)