Turkey issues warrant for retired colonel in reopened 2011 prison death investigation

Silivri, Turkey. Turkish authorities have issued an arrest warrant for retired colonel Hasan Atilla Ugur, who has been located in the occupied north, in a reopened investigation into the 2011 death of Turkish intelligence officer Kasif Kozinoglu.

Ugur is among four suspects named in detention warrants issued by the Silivri chief public prosecutor’s office.

Other suspects detained

The other three suspects, Hasan Ataman Yildirim, who was imprisoned with Kozinoglu, former Silivri chief prosecutor Ali Isgoren and former prison prosecutor Necip Dogan, were detained during operations in Istanbul and Ankara.

According to Turkish reports, legal proceedings are under way to locate, arrest and return Ugur from the north to Turkey.

Death at Silivri prison

The warrants concern the death of Kozinoglu, a former officer of Turkey’s national intelligence organisation, MIT, who died at Silivri state hospital on November 12, 2011, while in custody under the Ergenekon investigation.

The investigation alleged the existence of a clandestine ultra-nationalist fifth estate within the military and state apparatus that plotted to overthrow the government.

Kozinoglu had returned from Afghanistan shortly before his arrest. He collapsed after exercising and showering in his prison ward.

His official cause of death was recorded as a heart attack, although his family disputed the finding at the time, saying he had no known heart problems.

Case reopened after review

Turkish Justice Minister Akin Gurlek said the case was reopened after a review overturned an earlier decision to close the investigation.

Ugur, who shared a cell with Kozinoglu during the Ergenekon trial, told Turkish media that the two had discussed trial preparations before Kozinoglu’s death. He said Kozinoglu complained of chest pains after physical exercise.

Ugur’s sentence was later overturned on appeal and he was acquitted following a retrial in 2019. He subsequently served as deputy chairman of Turkey’s Patriotic party, VP.