Former Turkish intelligence officer dies in prison

Kaşif Kozinoğlu, a defendant under arrest in the ODA TV case and member of the National Intelligence Organization (MİT), died of a heart attack Nov. 12 at Silivri Prison near Istanbul.

Kozioğlu was reported to have felt sick in the evening hours. Guards informed prison doctors and prosecutors. Kozinoğlu was initially diagnosed to have been suffering from a heart attack. He lost his life despite the attempts of doctors to revive him. After inspections from the office of the prosecutor and prison administration, Kozinoğlu’s body was sent to Forensic Medicine Institute.

“According to his cellmate’s statement, Kozinoğlu came back to his room after a long and intense session of exercise and after taking a shower. He did not feel well and his blood pressure increased. He was given a sublingual tablet and the emergency button was pressed to inform officers,” read a statement issued by the Justice Ministry.

The Justice Ministry also said “No trace of any broken bones, blows or violence was determined in the body from the medical examination of the body by the doctor,” according to the autopsy report from the Office of the Public Prosecutor of Silivri Prison.

Kozanoğlu’s body was transferred after its autopsy from the Forensic Medicine Institute and brought to Gülhane Military Medical Academy (GATA) in Haydarpaşa in the Asian side of Istanbul.

Arrested within the scope of the ODA TV case, Kozinoğlu was to appear before the judge at the case’s first hearing Nov. 22. He was charged with being a member of a terror organization and leaking the state’s confidential documents.