The mysterious death of 12-year-old Abdulbaki Dakak, who was forcibly sent to an unauthorised religious school, or madrasa, associated with the Menzil sect, has drawn attention to the controversial group.
Abdulbaki Dakak, who had been staying in a madrasa affiliated with the Menzil sect for a year, was forced to remain in the madrasa despite repeatedly telling his family that he did not want to stay there. On 10 June, Dakak suddenly disappeared and was found dead three days later, hanging in the barn of the madrasa where he was studying.
The preliminary autopsy report has been released, but it fails to determine the exact cause of death, raising suspicions of poisoning. The report indicates the need for further investigations, including histopathological and toxicological examinations, to be conducted by the Diyarbakır Forensic Medicine Institution.
According to the report, which ANKA news agency obtained, the autopsy conducted on June 14 lasted approximately two hours. It revealed several physical injuries on Dakak’s body, including abrasions and scars on his arms and neck. The report further highlighted specific findings on Dakak’s neck area, indicating pressure marks and areas of epidermal peeling. The examination also observed bleeding in the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the hyoid bone, suggesting possible external force applied to the neck. To determine the definitive cause of death, additional tests, including toxicological and histopathological analyses, have been recommended.
Abdulbaki Dakak, who was allegedly sent against his will to an unauthorised religious school in Şanlıurfa, went missing on 10 June. His lifeless body was discovered hanging in a stable near the school on 14 June. The madrasa in question is said to be under the supervision of the Semerkand Foundation, linked to the Menzil sect.
Abdullah Dakak, the father of the deceased boy, stated that “there is nothing to discuss” and “they will not file a complaint.”
