Suicide in military to be probed: Council of State

ANKARA - Doğan News Agency

The Council of State has ruled to open an investigation against medical staff that ran an autopsy for a soldier who allegedly committed suicide during military service in 2009.

Private Murat Oktay Can died in the eastern province of Tunceli during his military post on Sep 5, 2009. Fırat University’s School of Medicine in the neighboring Elazığ province prepared an autopsy report that said Can shot himself in the head by using a G3 standard issue army rifle. The Council of State ruled to launch an investigation into three doctors and a nurse who were included in the autopsy report committee. Slain soldier Can’s father, Oktay Can, had filed a criminal complaint against the university staff for “abusing their authority” and “spoliation of evidence” in 2009.

The Chief Prosecutor declared a “lack of jurisdiction” and sent the file to the Fırat University, where an investigation was found to be “unnecessary.”

Following this legal process Oktay Can applied to the Council of State and obtained a result. He said the ruling pleased him and his wife, who are only managing to continue their lives with the help of aid given by Antalya’s Kepez district governorate.