Death of Yunus Emre Göçer
On 30 November 2023, in Istanbul, Yunus Emre Göçer, a motorcycle courier, was hit from behind by a car on Kennedy Avenue while he was in traffic near the Aksaray exit of the Eurasia Tunnel. The driver was Mohamed Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, a Somali diplomat and the son of Somalia’s president. Göçer was badly injured and taken to hospital; he died on 6 December 2023.
Police initially said there was no fault by the driver, and Mohamud was released after giving a statement. There were reports that the police told Göçer’s wife her husband had committed suicide, a claim his family disputed. Footage suggested the car involved was a consular vehicle. Mohamud left the country on 2 December 2023, and an arrest warrant was later issued; a travel ban was imposed.
An expert report later found Mohamud primarily at fault in the crash. An ex officio investigation was opened into police handling of the case and social media allegations about the investigation.
Göçer died in hospital on 6 December 2023. The court found Mohamud negligent in the homicide and sentenced him to two and a half years in prison, but converted the sentence to a fine of $900. He had already left the country and could not be immediately detained; authorities continued investigations and public demonstrations demanding justice for Göçer. Public figures and Göçer’s family urged transparency and accountability throughout the process.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 11:15 (CET).