Turkish press and writers demand new investigation into Sabahattin Ali's 1948 death

Five Turkish press, publishing and writers organisations have formally asked the Justice Ministry to revisit the unsolved 1948 killing of novelist Sabahattin Ali and to identify his burial site. Their petition urges the Department for the Investigation of Unsolved Crimes to reassess the original investigation, including the case against Ali Ertekin, who confessed to the murder, and the amnesty that later released him. They allege that Ali may have been detained and mistreated by security services, claims that have never been fully investigated.

The request calls for a thorough search of police, gendarmerie, intelligence and other state archives, as well as forensic DNA analysis of any remains, subject to consent from Ali's relatives. Findings should be made public, and the appeal cites constitutional rights to life, rule of law, and press freedom as reasons for renewed scrutiny.