Police & jail misconductCourts & justice
Diyarbakır court acquits three police officers in 2015 killing of lawyer Tahir Elçi, citing uncertainty over who fired the fatal shot
Confidence: Corroborated · 2 sourcesTurkey · Oct 6, 2026
Subject of this story
Diyarbakır 10th High Criminal Court
Also named
Affected
Tahir Elçi, Head of the Diyarbakır Bar Association
Diyarbakır Bar Association
Advocate
Forensic Architecture
What happened
On 12 June 2024 the Diyarbakır 10th High Criminal Court acquitted officers Sinan Tabur, Fuat Tan and Mesut Sevgi, charged with causing the death of Diyarbakır Bar Association head Tahir Elçi on 28 November 2015. The prosecutor had concluded it was impossible to determine which officer's bullet caused the death, and the written decision cited insufficient evidence. Elçi's family and lawyers said the fatal bullet was never recovered, evidence including shell casings was lost or destroyed, and footage was missing seconds; a 2019 Forensic Architecture investigation had concluded police likely fired the shot.
Sources (2)
Duvar EnglishThe chief prosecutor's office concluded it was impossible to determine which police officer's bullet caused the death, requesting acquittal.
Turkish MinuteA conviction cannot be accomplished by interpreting suspicious events and allegations against the suspects; the fatal bullet was never recovered.
Response
Diyarbakır 10th High Criminal Court
Not yet contacted
Not yet contacted for this story.
What happened next (0)
No outcome recorded yet.