Two attackers receive life terms for the murder of journalist Hakan Tosun

In a ruling by the Bakırköy 17th High Criminal Court, Abdurrahman Murat and Adnan Şahin were each handed life sentences for the fatal beating of journalist and documentary filmmaker Hakan Tosun. The court dismissed arguments for reduced punishment based on provocation or mitigating factors, and ordered the two to stay in custody pending any appeal. Tosun, aged 50, succumbed to injuries on 13 October after being attacked while walking to his family’s home in Istanbul’s Esenyurt district.

The family, represented by sister Öznur Tosun, welcomed the judgment but insisted that a third suspect, identified in case files as Y.Ö., must also be brought to trial. They allege that relatives of the convicted men colluded with police to hide evidence. International press-freedom groups have called for a broader investigation into whether Tosun’s reporting on environmental and urban issues motivated the killing.