Özlem Gültekin death investigation launched in İzmir

An investigation has been launched into the death of 48-year-old obstetrician Dr. Özlem Gültekin, who died at her clinic in İzmir. While initial reports suggested a heart attack, the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has classified the death as suspicious, prompting an autopsy at the İzmir Forensic Medicine Institute.

Gültekin was in the process of divorcing news anchor Erhan Çelik. In December 2025, she had filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office alleging physical and psychological violence, including claims that Çelik had threatened her and physically assaulted her. Following those allegations, prosecutors had requested a prison sentence for Çelik on charges of threat and simple injury, which he has denied.

Lawyers representing both Gültekin’s family and Erhan Çelik issued a joint statement, noting that the couple was in the final stages of an uncontested divorce. They criticized the media for sensationalizing the death and linking past disputes to the current investigation without concrete evidence, emphasizing the need to protect the privacy of their six-year-old child.