Stories from Istanbul · Turkey

A legal proceeding has commenced in Istanbul regarding the deaths of a German family following a hotel stay. The case involves investigations into potential poisoning or gas exposure. The trial is being closely monitored as authorities seek to determine the cause of death. Turkish authorities have converted an investigation into the death of 24-year-old German-Turkish tourist Başak Şulazır into a suspicious death inquiry. The woman was found dead in an Istanbul hotel room in Fatih on April 23 after arriving from Germany on April 20. Investigators are examining why hotel security cameras failed to record for nine hours during the period. Five suspects, including the hotel owner, staff, and a young man last seen with the victim, have been detained for DNA testing. Police have expanded an investigation into the death of Umut Altaş, whose body was found in a hotel room in Fatih on April 23.