Late President Özal’s body to be exhumed

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

Turkey’s eighth president Turgut Özal died unexpectedly on April 17, 1993. His grave will be opened under the surveillance of the top prosecutor’s office in Istanbul. Hürriyet photo

A prosecutor in Ankara yesterday ruled that late President Turgut Özal’s body should be exhumed.

Prosecutor Kemal Çetin, in charge of an ongoing investigation concerning Özal’s death, issued an order for the exhumation Sept. 17 and forwarded it to the top prosecutor in Istanbul, where Özal’s grave is located. As of yesterday, it was not clear when the grave will be opened.

The grave will be opened under the surveillance of the top prosecutor’s office in Istanbul, and the Forensic Medicine Institute will carry out a forensic examination to determine the cause of Özal’s death.
Özal died unexpectedly on April 17, 1993, while in office.

Turkey’s State Audit Board (DDK) ruled Özal’s death “suspicious,” and said it should be reinvestigated, in a report released June 13.

“Özal, who did not have any long-running or serious illnesses, died unexpectedly when he was in office. Such a death should always be approached as suspicious,” read the conclusion of the 44-page report published on the official website of the President’s Office.

Özal’s successor, Süleyman Demirel, dismissed claims that Özal had been assassinated.

Following the release of the report, President Abdullah Gül said he hoped to see a resolution to the mystery surrounding Özal’s death, along with an end to “this kind of debate.”

Also following the release of the report, Gül met with Özal’s widow, Semra Özal, and son, Ahmet Özal, at the request of the family.