Family of Jacky Sutton satisfied she 'acted alone' in apparent suicide

The family of Jacqueline Sutton released a statement on Wednesday stating they are satisfied the former BBC journalist committed suicide at the weekend in Turkey.

Sutton was found dead overnight on 17 October at Istanbul’s Ataturk Airport where she had travelled to from London and was waiting for a connecting flight to her base in Erbil, Iraq, where she was acting country head for the London-based Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR).

Journalists and activists who knew Sutton have said they find it hard to believe she would have committed suicide, and have called for a full investigation into the circumstances of her death.

However, on Wednesday, Sutton’s family said that evidence provided by Turkish authorities had convinced them she had “acted alone” in her death.

“The family is satisfied with the investigation undertaken by the Turkish authorities,” said Jenny Sutton, Jacky’s sister. “We were deeply sceptical about initial reports. But based on the evidence we have seen, at this stage we believe that Jacky acted alone.”

The IWPR said in a press release that Turkish authorities have “cooperated fully and provided access to the complete dossier of evidence relating to the case, including copies of the CCTV images and all documentation.”

The organisation said it has seen “comprehensive CCTV footage with no apparent time gaps, still photographs, [and] witness statements” that “all indicate Jacky was alone and that there was no sign of struggle.”

The IWPR added that “there remains the possibility that additional information will come to light”.

The London-based IWPR works with local journalists in conflict and crisis-hit countries.

The Sutton family and IWPR will be seeking independent assessment once Turkey has completed its investigation.

Sutton is reported to have spoken five languages. She has worked with the BBC World Service, UNDP, as well as the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Baghdad among others. Her recent work is said to have focused on countering the anti-female narrative of the Islamic State group. 

She is the second IWPR staff member to have died in recent months, after Ammar al-Shahbander was killed by a bomb explosion in Baghdad.

The IWPR asked on Wednesday that the privacy of Sutton’s family be respected.