A new phase has been reached in the investigation into the death of Great Unity Party leader Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu and his delegation in a helicopter crash on March 25, 2009.
Raid on 30 addresses for 29 suspects
On June 12, 2026, the investigation was transferred from the Kahramanmaraş Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. Under the coordination of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, teams from the Ankara Provincial Police Department conducted a simultaneous operation.
Within the scope of the investigation, operations were carried out at 30 addresses in Ankara, Istanbul, Izmir, Balıkesir, Adana, Antalya, Çanakkale, Bursa, Isparta, and Afyonkarahisar against 29 suspects who are assessed to have committed the crimes of 'establishing, leading, and being a member of an armed terrorist organization' and 'premeditated intentional homicide'.
Operation in 10 provinces in Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu investigation: 25 suspects captured | Video
25 suspects detained
In the operation, 25 suspects were detained, while 2 suspects were found to be in prison and 2 suspects abroad. Efforts to apprehend the fugitive suspects are ongoing.
The investigation is being conducted meticulously under the coordination of the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to fully clarify the helicopter crash, uncover the material truth, and ensure that those responsible are held accountable before the law.
Here is the list of suspects
- Ahmet Turhan
- Bekir Cerikci
- Cemal Şahin
- Ebubekir S. Yüksekkaya
- Sedat Kılıçaslan
- Dursun Özmen
- Nedim Bakırhan
- Ersöz Sağlam
- Nusret Memiş
- Ferudun Seren
- Gülseren Özişik
- Halil İbrahim Açan
- Hikmet Tanıl
- Recep Ercan
- İsmail Kaya
- Kerem Mumcuoğlu
- Mehmet Çağlar
- Mehmet Sevdim
- Melike Sinem Uçum
- Suat Kaplan
- Fatih Bengi
- Tezcan Kaymaz
- Ali Armağan
- Şerife Armağan
- Kenan Köksal
- Nihat Biçer
- İrfan Yavuz
- Davut Uçum
- Aydın Özsıcak
We will follow the process until the end
Justice Minister Akın Gürlek, making a statement regarding the operation, said: 'Within the framework of the duty and responsibility entrusted by our President, Mr. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, responding to our nation's expectation of justice is our greatest responsibility. No matter how many years pass, no file will be left in the dark and no doubt will be left unanswered. I commemorate with mercy the late Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu and all our citizens who lost their lives in this tragic incident; and I present to the public that the process will be followed with determination until the end to fully illuminate this pain that has taken root in the hearts of their families and our noble nation.'
The investigation into the death of the late Great Unity Party leader Mr. Muhsin Yazıcıoğlu and his delegation in the helicopter crash on March 25, 2009, has deeply imprinted itself on the conscience of our nation, and has been awaited to be illuminated for years... - Akın Gürlek (@abakingurlek) July 13, 2026.
