Interim ruling announced in the Amasra mine disaster trial!

Following the acceptance of the 195-page indictment prepared by the Bartın Chief Public Prosecutor's Office by the Bartın High Criminal Court, the fifth session of the trial has been completed after hearings held on April 25-28, May 3-5, July 24-25, and October 16-18.

The hearing, held in a specially designated courtroom at the Bartın Courthouse by the Bartın High Criminal Court, was attended by detained and non-detained defendants, plaintiffs, relatives of those who lost their lives in the explosion, and legal counsel for both sides.

Extensive security measures were taken by law enforcement inside and around the courthouse.

After a total of 145 witnesses were heard—74 in the fourth hearing on October 16-18 and 71 in the fifth hearing—the public prosecutor presented their opinion.

The prosecution requested the continuation of the current detention status for the detained defendants and the continuation of judicial control measures for the non-detained defendants.

Taking the floor to address witness testimonies, plaintiff attorney Derviş Emre Aydın explained the structure of the mine using a 3D simulation.

Arguing that the sensors in the mine were located at a height of 1.70 centimeters, but that the air in the space remaining in the upper part of the mine with the same ratio could not be measured, Aydın claimed that it was observed that sensors that should have cut off the circuit at the 1.40 centimeter level did not activate even at values of 1.49, and as a result, it emerged that some sensors were not connected to the circuit breaker, a situation he alleged was also hidden from the expert committee.

DEMAND FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY EXPERTS TO BE TRIED AS WELL

Plaintiff attorneys, arguing that witness testimonies revealed insufficient mask training, production pressure, a chaotic operating environment, nepotism, mobbing, and the relocation of sensors, requested that the detained defendants remain in custody and that non-detained defendants, occupational safety experts H.G. and F.K., also be tried under detention.

Following the plaintiff attorneys, the non-detained defendants were given the floor and requested their acquittal. The detained defendants also stated that they reiterated their previous statements, denied allegations of production pressure, failure to apply stone dust, and the lowering of sensor levels, and requested their release.

Defense attorneys also stated that they did not agree with the opinion regarding the continuation of detention and requested the release of their clients.

Announcing the interim ruling, the court panel decided to continue the detention of the defendants.

The court panel announced that before the 6th hearing, a 5-person expert committee consisting of mining engineers and professors would be formed, and that it would be evaluated whether an on-site inspection could be conducted at the mine with said committee.

The hearing was adjourned to hear the remaining witnesses.

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

In the explosion that occurred at around 18:15 on October 14, 2022, at the mine owned by the TTK Amasra facility in the Amasra district of Bartın, 41 workers lost their lives and 11 workers were injured. One worker passed away on November 4, 2022, at the hospital where he was transferred, and another worker lost his life on April 5 at the hospital where he was receiving treatment.

Within the scope of the investigation carried out by the Amasra Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 24 suspects, including TTK Amasra Facility Manager Cihat Özdemir, had been detained.

News Source: AA