Defendant in Hakan Tosun case, held under heavy police presence, says he was praying in defense statement

The second hearing in the trial over the October 2025 killing of journalist Hakan Tosun, who was beaten to death in broad daylight on a street in Istanbul, opened once again under heavy police security at the Bakırköy 17th High Criminal Court. The court ordered a new expert examination of video footage from the incident and adjourned the case until Sept. 22.

During the hearing, in which the prosecutor was temporarily replaced, defendant Abdurrahman Murat said in his defense statement that he had been praying regularly in prison, adding, "I wish this incident had never happened."

After the hearing, plainclothes police officers followed journalists covering the proceedings all the way to the courthouse exit.

Before the hearing, Tosun's family and friends held a press statement outside the Bakırköy Courthouse, on Istanbul's European side.

The corridor leading to the courtroom of the 17th High Criminal Court was sealed off with police barricades and riot police. Journalists and members of the public who wanted to observe the hearing were not allowed into the courtroom, and additional riot police officers were deployed outside the courtroom.

Following a confrontation with police, only four journalists were allowed into the courtroom. The remaining journalists and members of the public watched the hearing via SEGBİS, Turkey's judicial video-link system, from the courtroom of the Bakırköy 19th High Criminal Court.

The hearing began about 30 minutes late because of the police intervention at the entrance. Representatives from the Istanbul Bar Association, the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), the pro-Kurdish DEM Party, and numerous lawyers attended the proceedings.

Detained defendants Abdurrahman Murat and Adnan Şahin were not brought into the courtroom and instead appeared via SEGBİS from the prisons where they are being held.

After the defendants' identities were confirmed, Cemal Polat, a lawyer representing the Tosun family, commented on security camera footage from the area where Tosun was killed and requested that the recordings be examined by a new court-appointed expert.

Detained defendants have criminal records for a combined 18 offenses

Lawyer Cemal Yücel, representing the Tosun family, told the court that the two detained defendants have a combined total of 18 entries on their criminal records.

According to Yücel, defendant Abdurrahman Murat has prior records for six offenses, while co-defendant Adnan Şahin has 12 criminal records, including for intentional injury, making threats, resisting a public official to prevent the performance of official duties, and unlawful deprivation of liberty.

Claims that Tosun used drugs challenged in court

Lawyer Cemal Yücel, representing the Tosun family, said the defense lawyers had misrepresented the forensic report on Hakan Tosun by claiming it showed drugs in his bloodstream. Yücel told the court that the substance in question was present because Tosun had been administered medication while receiving hospital treatment.

Later in the hearing, another lawyer for the Tosun family, Hakan Bozyurt, played video footage of the killing in the courtroom. As the footage was shown, Tosun's mother became ill, while his sister shouted at the defendants, "You won't even find a place in hell."

Lawyer Bozyurt: Video footage contradicts witness statements

Tosun family lawyer Hakan Bozyurt said the video footage contradicted witness statements, arguing that the witnesses' accounts contained numerous inconsistencies.

He said one witness had claimed that Hakan Tosun was not wearing pants, but that the footage showed Tosun was fully clothed.

Lawyer seeks criminal complaint against third individual

Continuing his presentation of the video evidence, Tosun family lawyer Hakan Bozyurt outlined what he said was the involvement of Yusuf Özakdağ, who has been identified in the case as a third suspect. Bozyurt asked the court to obtain Özakdağ's HTS cellphone traffic records for inclusion in the case file.

Bozyurt also requested that the court file a criminal complaint against Özakdağ.

He further argued that the defense's claim that "drugs were found in Hakan Tosun's blood" was misleading, saying the substances detected resulted from powerful sedative medications administered while Tosun was in intensive care.

Defendant says he prays as he delivers defense statement

Defendant Abdurrahman Murat, appearing via SEGBİS from prison, made the following defense statement:

"I wish this had never happened to me. I prayed when I was outside, and I pray here as well. I know that killing someone is a sin. Let alone killing him, my intention was only to warn him. I'm only 19 years old and in the prime of my youth. I never wanted to be in this situation. This person already looked as though he had been beaten before. I wish I had just walked away when he insulted me with severe profanity."

Co-defendant Adnan Şahin declined to make a new defense statement, telling the court that he stood by the defense statement he gave at the previous hearing.

Defense lawyer says defendant was only trying to pull co-defendant away

The lawyer for defendant Adnan Şahin said he had known and liked Hakan Tosun, adding, "I wish he hadn't died."

The lawyer argued that Şahin had been trying to pull co-defendant Abdurrahman Murat away from the scene and had no intention of committing violence.

He also claimed it was highly likely that Tosun had already sustained the fatal blow during an earlier altercation on a Metrobus, Istanbul's bus rapid transit system, before arriving at the scene.

"They are trying to construct a narrative using the footage from the scene," the lawyer said. "Adnan only checked on Hakan Tosun as he lay on the ground."

The lawyer asked the court to release his client pending trial.

Defense argues there was no joint criminal act

Another lawyer for defendant Adnan Şahin argued that his client had no intent to kill Hakan Tosun.

"If my client had intended to kill Hakan, he would not have gone to the police of his own accord to give a statement. There was no joint criminal act between my client and Abdurrahman Murat. As the footage shows, the other defendant, Abdurrahman Murat, was fighting with Hakan Tosun. Murat himself said in his defense statement that he had only happened to encounter Adnan Şahin. There is no participation in the alleged crime. If they had acted together, my client would not have put Abdurrahman Murat in his car and left. They would have continued their actions. They would have killed Hakan. We are ready to do everything necessary to ensure any remaining evidence is collected."

The lawyer went on to argue that reports on HTS cellphone traffic records, requested at the previous hearing, showed communications between defendant Abdurrahman Murat and witnesses, but not between his client and the witnesses.

"My client, Adnan Şahin, had no contact with the witnesses, and only one phone call with the other defendant. My client's only physical contact with Hakan Tosun was a nudge. Witnesses at the scene, including Yusuf Özakdağ, did not state in their testimony at the previous hearing that my client struck Hakan Tosun. No such statement exists. My client has been unjustly imprisoned for nine months. We request his release, taking into account the presumption of innocence."

Defense seeks renewed review of Metrobus footage

A lawyer for defendant Abdurrahman Murat argued that one of the phone numbers appearing in the HTS cellphone traffic records was used by Murat's father, Cafer Murat, while another was used by his older brother.

"There was only one phone call between my client and Adnan Şahin. The other calls have nothing to do with my client. We are not trying to discredit Hakan Tosun with the Metrobus footage. My client was not even aware of the altercation on the Metrobus. According to witnesses from the Metrobus, Hakan Tosun used profanity there as well, and he also insulted my client. Those insults constituted severe provocation. It is not possible that the punch thrown by my client caused a skull fracture. The footage showing Hakan Tosun falling as he got off the Metrobus should be re-examined."

Another lawyer representing Murat said:

"If this had been the murder of a journalist because of his journalism, I would not be sitting on this side of the courtroom but on the other. We request an independent expert opinion on the moment Hakan Tosun was injured while getting off the Metrobus after the altercation."

The defense lawyers then became involved in a verbal dispute with Cemal Yücel, a lawyer representing the Tosun family.

Following the exchange, the prosecutor requested that the defendants remain in custody.

Without taking a recess, the panel of judges ruled that both defendants would remain in pretrial detention and adjourned the case until 2 p.m. on Sept. 22.

The court also ordered that the security camera footage be sent to a court-appointed expert for further examination before the prosecution prepares its final opinion on the merits of the case. Once the expert report is completed, the case file will be returned to the prosecutor's office for preparation of the final opinion.

Final opinion to be prepared if prosecutor returns from medical leave

The presiding judge told the lawyers that the prosecutor who handled the first hearing had undergone surgery and was currently on medical leave.

The judge said that if the prosecutor recovered and returned to work, the prosecution's final opinion on the merits of the case could be prepared before the next hearing. In that event, the court could deliver its verdict at the next hearing.

Plainclothes police follow journalists after hearing

 After the hearing, lawyers representing Hakan Tosun's family held a press statement outside the courthouse.

Before the statement began, plainclothes police officers followed the journalists who had covered the hearing and remained with them until the press statement concluded.

Lawyer: 'We expect charges to be filed against the third individual'

Speaking after the hearing, lawyer Cemal Yücel, who represents Hakan Tosun's family, said:

"The defendants' criminal records have now come to light. It is clear that they have a propensity for criminal conduct. The prosecution's final opinion on the merits will be prepared between hearings. The next hearing will be held on Sept. 22, and there is a possibility that a verdict will be delivered then.

"Our latest criminal complaint regarding the third suspect has also resulted in a decision not to prosecute. That decision serves to protect the individual. We have appealed it. We expect charges to be filed against the third individual as well."