Extradition request to Turkey for contractor of Sami Bey Apartment, which collapsed in earthquake

The Sami Bey Apartment in the Çukurova district of Adana collapsed during the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, resulting in the deaths of 40 citizens.

It was determined that the building's contractors, Abdullah Aybaba and his daughter Eda Aybaba Çelik, had fled abroad, but the fugitive father and daughter have not yet been captured.

The Adana 4th High Criminal Court has sent an official request to the competent judicial authorities of the United Kingdom for the apprehension and extradition of the fugitive defendant Eda Aybaba Çelik to Turkey.

'I HOPE THERE WILL BE MORE TO COME'

Naim Emin Ünvar, who lost his mother, father, two siblings, grandmother, and relatives in the earthquake, shared his feelings regarding the arrest warrant issued for Çelik. Ünvar stated, "Receiving such good news at the end of the judicial recess has renewed my hope. I also see it as a gift for my mother, as it coincides with her birthday. I hope there will be more to come."

Despite 19 months having passed since the earthquake, 14 fugitive defendants responsible for collapsed buildings are still being sought. The families who lost their loved ones continue their search for justice with determination.

The following are those who lost their lives in the collapsed buildings in the cases and the fugitive defendants being sought:

Emlakbank Residences: Aytaç Kınay, one of the suspects in the Emlakbank Residences in the Antakya district of Hatay, where 370 people lost their lives, is being sought as a fugitive.

Rönesans Residence: Hüseyin Yalçın Coşkun, the site manager and company partner of the residence in Hatay, is being sought as a fugitive. A red notice has been issued for Coşkun.

Üzümkent Site: Ahmet İşitmen, who held responsibility for the Üzümkent Site in Adıyaman, is being sought. It was determined that İşitmen is abroad.

Sueda Kent Site: Ömer Yılmaz, the site manager and structural project author of the site in Adıyaman, has not been captured.

Furkan Apartment: Hasan Hüseyin Sever and Abdullah Devrim Sever, the contractors of the apartment in Gaziantep, are being sought as fugitives. A red notice has been issued.

Sami Bey Apartment: Abdullah Aybaba and his daughter Eda Aybaba Çelik, the contractors of the building in the Çukurova district of Adana, could not be found. It was determined that the fugitives had fled abroad, and their extradition has been requested.

Ezgi Apartment: In the expert report prepared for the apartment in Kahramanmaraş, it was stated that the Kervan Patisserie, located on the ground floor of the building and which had undergone renovations, was primarily at fault for the collapse. In the latest expert report prepared at the request of Ersan Şen, the lawyer for Kervan Patisserie owners Sami Kervancıoğlu and Mustafa Pekel—who have been fugitives for months and for whom an arrest warrant was issued—they were not found to be at fault. The fugitives Kervancıoğlu and Pekel are being sought.

Kavak Apartment: Serdar Çelebi Köse, the site manager of the Kavak Apartment in the Nurdağı district of Gaziantep, where 26 people lost their lives, is being sought.

Fazilet Apartment: Akın Yağcı and his wife Ferihan Yağcı, the operators of the bakery on the ground floor that caused the collapse of the apartment in Kahramanmaraş, have still not been found.

Burak Yapı Site: Metin Bekir Sarıkaya, the site manager of the Burak Yapı Site in the central district of Adıyaman, where 12 people lost their lives, is being sought as a fugitive.