Turkish police detain 3 journalists, father whose daughter died under suspicious circumstances

Turkish police on Wednesday evening detained three journalists and Şaban Vatan, whose 11-year-old daughter, Rabia Naz Vatan, died under suspicious circumstances last year, due to a complaint from a witness in the case of the death of Rabia, the Giresun Governor’s Office said on Thursday.

Journalists Canan Coşkun, Kazım Kızıl and Tuba Demir were in Giresun, where Rabia died, following a parliamentary investigation committee that intended to examine the alleged crime scene.

Mürsel Küçükal, the witness, claimed that Şaban Vatan and three journalists threatened and intimidated him, according to a statement issued by the governor’s office.

The statement did not disclose the reason behind the alleged threats.

Meanwhile, police raided the apartment of the Vatan family after Atiye Vatan posted a video on Twitter of the detention of her husband. She was also taken to the police custody.

Rabia Naz was found injured in front of her apartment in Giresun province in April 2018 and died immediately after she was taken to a hospital.

Şaban Vatan claimed that his daughter was hit and fatally injured by a car and that the accident was covered up by local politicians and Deputy Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chairman Nurettin Canikli, who responded by filing a lawsuit for slander.

It was reported by several websites that there were no blood stains around the front door of the house despite the fact that she had deep cuts, especially on one leg. Eyewitnesses claimed she looked as though she had been carried there by someone.

In addition, on the same day the police in the town were notified about a girl being hit by a black vehicle.

Although the preliminary autopsy report did not rule out the possibility that she was hit by a car, the doctor told her father she must have fallen from a higher elevation or committed suicide.

Metin Cihan, a freelance journalist who first exposed the details countering the official narrative in the death of Rabia Naz, had to leave the country in September due to an investigation launched into him.

The post Turkish police detain 3 journalists, father whose daughter died under suspicious circumstances appeared first on Turkish Minute.

from Turkish Minute https://www.turkishminute.com/2019/11/14/turkish-police-detain-3-journalists-father-whose-daughter-died-under-suspicious-circumstances/