Journalist Hakan Tosun, who was beaten to death in Esenyurt, İstanbul, is being laid to rest. It was learned that journalist, documentarian and activist Hakan Tosun, who was attacked on Saturday evening and had been out of contact for some time, was taken to Başakşehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital.
The 50-year-old journalist was admitted to intensive care, and his brain death occurred on the evening of 13 October.
Thousands gathered for Hakan Tosun’s funeral at 13:00 at Nurtepe Metro square. The crowd then marched toward Nurtepe Cemevi.
During the march, banners read “What happened to Hakan Tosun?”, “Journalist murders are political” and “Justice for Hakan Tosun.”
“FIND THE KILLERS, MAKE THEM ACCOUNTABLE”
Chants during the march included “No salvation alone, either all together or none of us”, “Justice for Hakan, justice for nature”, “Find the killers, make them accountable”, “Hakan’s justice will be served”, “Those who kill nature and Hakan are the same” and “We don’t want killers on the streets.”
The march was attended by Berkin Elvan’s mother Gülsüm Elvan, LEFT Party MYK member Alper Taş, TİP Chair Erkan Baş, EMEP Chair Seyit Aslan, CHP MP Orhan Sarıbal, former CHP MP Ali Şeker, DEM Parti provincial chair Çınar Altan, representatives of journalism organizations and many journalists.
After the ceremony at the cemevi, the funeral will take place at Ayazağa Cemetery.
CHP Chair Özgür Özel, Eyüpsultan Mayor Dr. Mithat Bülent Özmen and CHP İstanbul Provincial Chair Özgür Çelik sent wreaths to the ceremony.
The İstanbul Governor’s Office and İstanbul Police Department, silent for days regarding Hakan Tosun’s death, sent hundreds of riot police to the funeral.
“I PROMISE, THIS CASE WILL BE CLARIFIED”
At the ceremony, Tosun’s colleagues and relatives spoke. Hakan Tosun’s lawyer Onur Cingil said, “Doing this work is very hard. I want to thank you all; everyone is fighting to clarify the case. If public attention hadn’t been raised, this case would have been covered up. Normally, the police examine the crime scene. Suspects’ relatives don’t come and gather footage. But interestingly, there is a more organised criminal gang than the police. Hakan was either a victim of greed or of a gang. As Onur Cingil, I promise this case will be clarified. Rest in peace, brother Hakan.”
GÜLSÜM ELVAN: MY HEART HURTS
Berkin Elvan’s mother Gülsüm Elvan said, “Our wound remains, it doesn’t heal. We don’t want other mothers to cry, other children to be killed. My heart hurts. We want justice, our children must not be murdered. Eventually we will win, let’s unite and resist.”
Meryem Göktepe, sister of Metin Göktepe, said, “A journalist was killed for seeking the truth. Today, just like with Metin and Berkin, thousands are here to show how decent he was. If we all stand together, all killers will face trial. I want to say we are his family. Farewell Hakan, greetings to Metin, Berkin and Ali İsmail.”
“HE WAS NOT KILLED BY CHANCE”
DEM Parti MP İbrahim Akın said, “He was one of the most important and honourable figures in the struggle for life in Turkey. I don’t think he was killed by chance. In the struggle for life, we lose people in different ways. He was with us at every march. We call on authorities; those who tried to cover it up are accomplices. We promise Hakan; we will continue this struggle.”
Former CHP MP Ali Şeker said, “Hakan was valuable not just for his environmental awareness but for making it known worldwide. Thousands of police are here, but the police were not there to protect Hakan. Gangs roam freely and kill people. It is the police’s duty to confront these gangs. We will continue to fight until justice for Hakan is served.”
CHP Bursa MP Orhan Sarıbal said, “We know we have no security of life. The end will not come until the real killers are found and held accountable. The real killers, for example, are those running mining operations in the country’s mountains and using the state police and gendarmerie to protect them while chasing the people. If we do not demand justice from this fascist, reactionary and plundering system, the fault is ours. We have no choice but to stand together.”
UNCERTAINTY CONTINUES ABOUT HIS DEATH
Uncertainties about Hakan Tosun’s death continue, while his colleagues have raised seven critical questions to clarify the case.
Tosun’s phone, wallet, ID and camera were reported missing, raising questions about whether they were searched for, and who manipulated the footage released to the press and for what purpose.
Other questions include whether any action was taken against those who illegally took evidence recordings, how long Tosun waited in the emergency room, why his identity could not be confirmed for 27 hours, and whether a deliberate attack investigation was conducted.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?
Since 11 October, journalist Hakan Tosun had been missing. Thanks to efforts by his family, life defenders and journalists, it was learned that he was taken to hospital in Esenyurt after an attack and treated in intensive care.
Tosun was brought to the hospital unconscious as no ID was found, and his family could not be reached because he had no registration. Found severely injured from assault and with his wallet stolen on the roadside, Hakan Tosun’s brain death occurred on Monday 13 October.
The İstanbul Police Department announced that two people were detained in connection with Tosun’s death. The two suspects, aged 18 and 24, were later arrested.
Tosun’s lawyer Onur Cingil also reported that journalist Umut Taştan, who went to the scene and spoke with locals and shopkeepers, was threatened by the suspects’ relatives.
WHO WAS HAKAN TOSUN?
Hakan Tosun was born in İstanbul in 1975. He began his media career in 1993 as a technical consultant when private radio stations launched.
In 1998 he moved to İzmir and worked as a news editing operator for various private TV channels. From 2009, he turned to documentary production, becoming known for independent works focused on nature, urban struggles and social events.
His documentaries “Çatılara Doğru”, “Tekel İşçileri”, “Büyük Anadolu Yürüyüşü”, “Dönüşüm (Gentrification)” and “Validebağ Direnişi” documented social movements and environmental struggles in Turkey.
Tosun, who continued his work as an independent journalist, was also directing at a production company called ‘Nature and City Activism Documentary’.
Note: This article is translated from the original article titled Öldürülen gazeteci Hakan Tosun son yolculuğuna uğurlanıyor, published in BirGün newspaper on October 16, 2025.
