Trial Postponed in Ayşe Tokyaz Murder Case; Life Sentence Requested for Former Police Officer

Details of the Court Session and the Prosecutor's Heavy Request In the third hearing of the Ayşe Tokyaz murder case held today, July 2, 2026, at the Küçükçekmece 2nd High Criminal Court, the prosecutor presented the final indictment. According to the report, the prosecutor requested an aggravated life sentence for the main defendant, Cemil Koç, a former police officer dismissed from the force, on charges of "deliberate murder of a woman with monstrous intent and torture" [2][3].

In addition to the murder charge, the prosecutor sought an additional 4 to 15 years of imprisonment for Cemil Koç on charges such as "deprivation of liberty using force and threats" and "extortion." In previous sessions, Cemil Koç claimed he did not regret his actions and did not even request any reduction in his sentence from the court [4].

A Crime That Shook Turkish Society The Ayşe Tokyaz case is considered one of the most horrific instances of femicide in Turkey in recent years. Ayşe, a 22-year-old university student, was brutally murdered in July 2025. Following the murder, her body was placed in a suitcase and abandoned by a roadside in the Eyüpsultan district [1][3]. Police investigations revealed that Cemil Koç, who was the victim's boyfriend at the time, committed the crime with premeditation after systematic violence and extortion using private images.

Another controversial point in this case is the cooperation of some of Cemil Koç's former colleagues in the police force. According to court documents, two police officers abused official systems to provide Ayşe's personal information to the killer, leading to a separate case against them for abuse of office [3][4].

Tension in the Courtroom and the Judge's Final Decision Today's court session was marked by intense tension. Esra Tokyaz, Ayşe's twin sister, who was present as a complainant, threw a water bottle at one of the secondary defendants named Oğuz Kal following a verbal altercation. This action led to the intervention of security forces and Esra's temporary removal from the courtroom by the presiding judge [2][3].

At the end of the session, after hearing the statements of the parties and reviewing the prosecutor's indictment, the judicial panel announced that the next hearing would be postponed to September 9, 2026, to allow defense lawyers to present their final arguments. The court also ordered the continued detention of all 9 arrested defendants in the case to prevent potential escape or collusion [1][2]. The Tokyaz family and women's rights activists gathered in front of the courthouse once again demanded justice and the issuance of the heaviest possible sentence for all perpetrators of this crime.