This significant development must lead to further progress in the investigation of the murder of environmental journalist and documentary filmmaker, Hakan Tosun, who died in Istanbul on 13 October 2025 after being brutally attacked three nights earlier. The preliminary report, which his family and lawyer Onur Cingil were able to consult, “confirms that the victim was beaten and killed after horrific, prolonged, and atrocious violence”, according to the lawyer.

Though the preliminary autopsy report cannot yet give a definitive cause of death, it confirms injuries to the head, haematomas, and numerous fractures across the body. These findings are consistent with the footage recorded by surveillance cameras belonging to shopkeepers in the Esenyurt district (on the European side of Istanbul), where the brutal attack took place.

Additionally, according to the report, “no traces of drugs” were found in his system — a conclusion that contradicts allegations made by two suspects held in police custody, who claimed that Hakan Tosun had taken drugs and “was behaving inappropriately”. The suspects were arrested on the night of 11 October 2025 and later remanded in custody for their involvement in the fatal attack. On 6 January, an Istanbul judge decided that they should remain in detention.

“While Turkey is preparing to host the COP31, its authorities should not satisfy themselves with the mere arrest of the two suspects in the fatal beating of this journalist and documentary filmmaker devoted to covering environmental issues. They must do everything they can to swiftly establish the full truth of this heinous crime — particularly the motive behind the murder — by exploring the possibility of a link to his journalism, in order to determine who is responsible. This fight is even more important if we are to counter the growing normalisation of violence against media professionals in this country. We remain vigilant and are closely monitoring the progress of this investigation.

Who was Hakan Tosun?

Born in Istanbul in 1975, Hakan Tosun began his professional career in 1993 as a technical adviser during the launch of private radio stations. In 1998, he worked as a television news editor for various private channels in Izmir. From 2009 onwards, he devoted himself to directing documentaries, particularly on environmental issues, urban planning policies, and social movements. His documentaries include Büyük Anadolu Yürüyüşü (The Big Anatolia March) and Validebağ Direnişi (The Validebağ Resistance), and he also worked for the production company Doğa ve Kent Aktivizm Documentary (Documentary on Environmental and Urban Activism).