Turkey reopens investigation into death of former Minister Arif Ahmet Denizolgun

Authorities in Turkey have reopened the investigation into the suspicious 2016 death of former Transport Minister Arif Ahmet Denizolgun. Following the establishment of a dedicated Unsolved Crimes Bureau, the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is seeking to rectify contradictions in the original 2016 autopsy and toxicology reports.

A significant development involves Rıfat Kadirov, a Turkmenistan national and stable hand who was the only person present at the Beykoz farm when Denizolgun was found dead. Discrepancies between Kadirov’s initial statements and police reports regarding the scene have led authorities to request an Interpol red notice for his arrest after he left Turkey in 2023.

Furthermore, the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) has launched an investigation into judicial members who previously closed the case. Fatih Süleyman Denizolgun, the former minister’s nephew, emphasized that the investigation is being treated as a state matter to ensure justice is served.