Evacuations continue in the February 6 earthquakes cases

In the trials concerning the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes that occurred on February 6, 2023, and claimed the lives of 53,737 people according to official data, release decisions have been issued for contractors for various reasons over the last 6 months.

In the cases opened regarding 13 buildings where 1,100 people lost their lives in the earthquakes, contractors were released on grounds such as "advanced age," "time spent in detention," "lack of suspicion of tampering with or altering evidence," and "health problems."

Although arrest warrants were re-issued for some contractors who were released following objections, these individuals could not be found again. While some files no longer have any detained defendants, families who lost their loved ones in the earthquake stated, "Let those who made these decisions know that we will not give up seeking justice."

2,031 INVESTIGATIONS OPENED

According to Ministry of Justice data, 2,031 investigations were opened regarding the buildings destroyed in the earthquake, and 1,491 of these turned into lawsuits. While 149 files have been concluded so far, 189 defendants have been sentenced to various penalties.

In the 17 concluded earthquake cases, contractors were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 8 to 21 years and 9 months. However, while "good conduct reductions" were applied to defendants in many cases, some defendants were acquitted.

RELEASE FOR THE CONTRACTOR OF RÖNESANS REZİDANS

In the July 17, 2024, hearing of the Rönesans Rezidans, which was sold with the slogan "A corner from heaven" in Hatay and became a grave for 269 people after collapsing in the earthquake, with 59 people still not recovered, detained defendant and control personnel Önder Artun defined himself as a "schizophrenia patient" in his defense and claimed he was suffering because he was in prison.

In the hearing held on October 24, 2024, Önder Artun was released on the grounds of "health problems."

Within the scope of the file, contractor Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun and building inspection company officials Mehmet Haşim Eraslan and Bülent Seküçoğlu remain in detention.

HOUSE ARREST ON GROUNDS OF "ADVANCED AGE"

An arrest warrant had been issued during the investigation phase for Mehmet Özat, the contractor of the Emlakbank 1st Stage Residences in the Antakya district of Hatay, where 169 people lost their lives, but he could not be found.

Those who lost their loved ones in the Emlakbank Residences caught Özat in a shopping mall in Ankara on November 10, 2023, and handed him over to the police; he was arrested after his interrogation.

In the first hearing held at the Hatay 3rd High Criminal Court on November 28, 2024, contractor Mehmet Özat was released with a house arrest decision on the grounds of "time spent in detention, health problems, and advanced age."

There are no detained defendants within the scope of the file, and defendant Aytaç Kınay is also being sought as a fugitive.

ANOTHER RELEASE DUE TO "ADVANCED AGE"

151 people lost their lives as a result of the collapse of three blocks of the Palmiye Site in the Onikişubat district of Kahramanmaraş.

Contractor Hacı Mehmet Ersoy, who is also the father of AKP Kahramanmaraş Provincial Vice President Eray Ersoy, said in his defense at the first hearing held at the Kahramanmaraş 3rd High Criminal Court on September 5, "I have no connection with the construction of the building. I have no partnership. I used to bring customers like a real estate agent."

In the second hearing held on December 26, 2024, contractor Ersoy was arrested but was released on January 17 due to "advanced age." Upon the objection of the families, the Kahramanmaraş 4th High Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for contractor Ersoy on January 29. However, Ersoy could not be found again.

Within the scope of the file, contractor Ali Babaoğlu remains in detention.

21-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE, THEN RELEASE

105 people lost their lives as a result of the collapse of the Bilge Site in Osmaniye.

In the verdict hearing held at the Osmaniye 1st High Criminal Court on January 8, former MHP Osmaniye Mayor Kadir Kara, who served in the zoning directorate during the period the building was constructed, Sevinç Ayşe Argun, who served in the Zoning Directorate at that time, and technical supervisors Ayhan Gedik and Haluk Koç were sentenced to 21 years in prison for the crime of "causing the death and injury of more than one person with conscious negligence."

The Osmaniye 2nd High Criminal Court decided to release Kadir Kara, Sevinç Ayşe Argun, and Haluk Koç, who were sentenced to 21 years in prison. A photograph of Kadir Kara with the presiding judge who made the release decision appeared on his social media account. In the same case, contractors Mustafa İpek and Faruk Pilge were sentenced to 8 years in prison for the crime of "causing the death and injury of more than one person with simple negligence," and the two defendants were released under judicial control.

Within the scope of the file, technical supervisor Ayhan Gedik remains in detention.

RELEASE ON GROUNDS OF "COMPLETION OF LONG DETENTION PERIOD"

During the investigation phase of the Kule Apartment in the Antakya district of Hatay, where 103 people lost their lives, contractor Ömer Cihan was arrested on February 13, 2023, in Antalya after a tip-off that he was staying in a hotel with his family as if he were an earthquake survivor and was preparing to flee abroad.

In the third hearing held at the Hatay 5th High Criminal Court on February 12, it was decided to release contractor Ömer Cihan on the grounds that the "long detention period had expired," despite the fact that a new expert report was awaited.

There are no detained defendants left within the scope of the file.

RELEASE OF ÇETİN KURT WITH JUDICIAL CONTROL

96 people lost their lives as a result of the collapse of the Ebrar Site F block in Kahramanmaraş.

In the hearing held at the Kahramanmaraş 5th High Criminal Court on January 10, the court panel decided to release the detained defendant contractor Çetin Kurt under judicial control, taking into account the "time spent in detention."

Within the scope of the file, contractor Tevfik Tepebaşı is being tried in detention.

HE WAS BEING TRIED WITH 1,475 YEARS, HE WAS RELEASED

59 people lost their lives as a result of the collapse of the Arık and Parlak Apartments in the Hassa district of Hatay.

During the investigation phase, Celal Arık, the building contractor of the Arık Apartment, was arrested on February 14, 2023. A lawsuit was filed against contractor Arık with a request for up to 1,475 years in prison for the crime of "murder with probable intent." In the seventh hearing held at the Kırıkhan High Criminal Court on January 8, the court panel unanimously decided to release the defendant contractor Celal Arık, taking into account the "time spent in detention and the possibility of a change in the nature of the crime."

There are no detained defendants left within the scope of the file.

56 PEOPLE DIED, NO DETAINED DEFENDANTS LEFT

56 people lost their lives with the collapse of the Nilüfer Apartment in the Antakya district of Hatay.

In the hearing held at the Hatay 5th High Criminal Court on December 13, 2024, detained contractor Murat Fuatoğlu and detained building inspection expert Mehmet Haşim Eraslan were released, taking into account the "time spent in detention."

Eraslan's detention in other earthquake files continues.

RELEASE ON GROUNDS OF "NO SUSPICION OF TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE"

The Akar and Güven Apartments located in the Nurdağı district of Gaziantep also collapsed. 51 people lost their lives in the buildings that turned into piles of rubble.

During the investigation process, an arrest warrant was issued for Mesut Akar, the contractor of both buildings, and he was arrested on March 19, 2023.

In the Akar Apartment case heard at the İslahiye High Criminal Court on October 16, 2024, and the Güven Apartment case heard at the İslahiye High Criminal Court on December 18, 2024, the court panel decided to release the defendant contractor Mesut Akar on the grounds that "the vast majority of the evidence has been collected, there is no suspicion of the defendant tampering with or altering evidence regarding the uncollected evidence, and the defendant has a fixed residence."

DISAPPEARED AFTER RELEASE

24 people lost their lives due to the collapse of the Sulayıcı Apartment in the Dulkadiroğlu district of Kahramanmaraş.

During the investigation phase, Mahmut Sulayıcı, who had the Sulayıcı Apartment built and was also the owner of the tractor gallery on the ground floor, was arrested on February 15, 2023. The Kahramanmaraş Chief Public Prosecutor's Office filed a lawsuit against Mahmut Sulayıcı with a request for up to 618 years in prison for the crimes of "intentional killing with probable intent" and "intentional injury with probable intent."

In the fourth hearing held at the Kahramanmaraş 2nd High Criminal Court on December 11, 2024, the prosecutor requested the continuation of the defendant Sulayıcı's detention, but the court panel released Sulayıcı, taking into account the "time spent in detention."

Upon the objection of the prosecutor and the families, the Kahramanmaraş 3rd High Criminal Court decided to re-arrest Sulayıcı, but the defendant Sulayıcı could not be found.

16 PEOPLE DIED, NO DETAINED DEFENDANTS LEFT

In the fourth hearing held at the Hatay 1st High Criminal Court on January 21 regarding the Derya Apartment, which collapsed in Hatay and where 16 people lost their lives, the prosecutor requested the continuation of the detention of the defendant contractor Ganim Emre Sahil. The court panel decided to release Sahil on the grounds of "time spent in detention."

Families: We will not give up seeking justice

The evaluations of those who lost their loved ones in the earthquake regarding the release decisions given to the contractors of the buildings are as follows:

Döne Kaya, representative of the Families Seeking Justice Platform:

“Let those who said, 'Those who caused these pains to my nation and did not fulfill their responsibilities will account for this before justice. There is no escape from this' after the February 6 earthquakes that separated thousands of people from their loved ones two years ago, know that those responsible are being released one by one. Those responsible for the deaths of thousands of people are being released one by one on the grounds of 'advanced age, not being in sound mind, no suspicion of tampering with evidence, time spent in detention.'

“Most of them fled before an arrest warrant was even issued. Public officials who had the greatest share in the collapse of the buildings were not punished in any way either. These release decisions have left 1,100 people and their relatives under the rubble once again. We, the families seeking justice, encounter another injustice every day. Let those who made this decision know that we will not give up seeking justice. Our struggle will continue until the real culprits are held accountable.

Lawyer Yeşim Toplu, who lost her family in the Rönesans Rezidans:

“Unfortunately, we have been hearing news of releases in the Rönesans Rezidans case and other cases over the last 6 months. In the Rönesans Rezidans case, defendant Önder Artun was released with a report he received from a single physician. This decision is against the law.

“President Erdoğan, in a live broadcast he attended on March 22, 2023, made a statement regarding the earthquake investigations: 'Those who caused these pains to my nation and did not fulfill their responsibilities will account for this before justice. There is no escape from this.' This statement is either not being taken into account or there are other issues... We are unhappy with this release decision. Let no more release decisions be made from now on.”

İrem Türkmener Karslı, who lost her family in the Palmiye Site:

“Contractor Hacı Mehmet Ersoy, who was arrested at the hearing of the Palmiye Site on December 26, 2024, was released on the grounds of 'advanced age' after being detained for only 23 days. We objected to this release decision, and the Kahramanmaraş 4th High Criminal Court, which accepted our objection, issued an arrest warrant for contractor Ersoy.

“Since that day, defendant Hacı Mehmet Ersoy has not been arrested. We will see if he will come to our next hearing or not. I hope defendant Ersoy is caught as soon as possible; we are doing our best for this. We believe that both the judiciary and the security forces are doing their best for this work.”

News Source: 12punto