Narin Güran disappeared on August 21 and the unsuccessful search efforts have sparked outrage in Turkey. Calls for protests against her murder have been issued by feminist organizations in several cities.
The body of an eight-year-old girl who had been missing for 19 days has been found in Turkey’s southeastern province of Diyarbakir, the Turkish Interior Minister announced on Sunday, September 8.
“Unfortunately, the lifeless body of Narin, who went missing in Tavsantepe village in Baglar district of Diyarbakir, was found by our gendarmerie teams,” Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on X.
Narin Güran’s body was found in a bag placed in a river one kilometer from the village where she lived with her family, Diyarbakir Governor Murat Zorluoglu told reporters.
Narin’s uncle arrested last week
“Narin Güran was found dead wearing the same clothes as the last time she was seen. (…) According to initial observations, she was put in a bag after being killed. The bag was then placed in the river, hidden under branches and stones so as not to arouse suspicion,” he added.
As part of the investigation opened by the Diyarbakir prosecutor’s office, a decision to detain 21 people has been taken, Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunç announced.
His disappearance on August 21 and the search efforts that were unsuccessful have caused a stir in Turkey, with several well-known personalities joining a social media campaign called “Find Narin”.
Narin’s uncle was arrested last week on “strong suspicion” of “murder” and “deprivation of liberty.”
“Our President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is following the matter closely to ensure that the ongoing investigation is carried out meticulously (…) and that those who took Narin’s life face justice,” Turkish presidential communications director Fahrettin Altun told X.
Calls for a rally on Sunday night to protest Narin’s murder have been made by feminist organisations in several cities across Turkey. The pro-Kurdish Dem party has also called for a march in Diyarbakir on Sunday night.
“Narin was murdered in an organized manner. Those responsible for this murder, which saddened us all, must be revealed and held accountable before an impartial and independent judicial system,” the party reacted on X.
