Reasoned decision in the Erol Eğrek case: Defendants sentenced at the lower limit

The court's reasoned decision has been published regarding the case of worker Erol Eğrek, who went to Çalık Holding's building in Istanbul due to a severance pay claim and lost his life in the hospital after being attacked by security guards.

The decision stated that while Eğrek had a heart condition, it was impossible for the defendants to have known about this situation. Therefore, it was reported that the defendants were sentenced at the lower limit for the crime of causing death by negligence.

Erol Eğrek, who stated that he was dismissed while working at a facility in Turkmenistan and could not receive his severance pay, was attacked by approximately 10 people in front of the Çalık Holding building in Şişli Esentepe, where he had gone to seek his rights, and passed away in the hospital where he was taken.

THERE IS A MEDICAL LINK BETWEEN THE INCIDENT AND DEATH

According to a report by T24, the reasoned decision of the Istanbul 8th High Criminal Court, based on the report of the 1st Forensic Medicine Specialized Board dated July 28, 2025, stated that Eğrek "had chronic cardiovascular disease and suffered sudden cardiac death due to the effort and stress experienced as a result of the beating and altercation."

While the report stated that there was a medical causal link between the incident and the death, it was noted that the evaluation of this link in terms of criminal law was at the discretion of the prosecutor's office. The prosecutor's office also submitted an opinion to the file stating that the defendants were responsible for the crime of "causing death by negligence."

SENTENCING DECISION AT THE LOWER LIMIT

In the reasoned decision, it was emphasized that in line with the Forensic Medicine evaluation, there was a causal link between Eğrek's death and the actions of defendants Mustafa Ö., Ruşen Hayırlıoğlu, Adem Ateşoğlu, Semih Keser, Salih Yılmaz, and Erhan K.

It was stated that the defendants did not know Eğrek and were unaware of his heart condition, and that their actions fell within the scope of negligence; therefore, the defendants were sentenced at the lower limit for the crime of "causing a person's death by negligence."

It was also reported that a reduction was applied by taking into account the defendants' behavior during the hearings and the future effects of the sentences.

As for defendant Osman G., he was acquitted on the grounds that he had no physical intervention against Eğrek and there was insufficient evidence that the crime had been committed.

ALLEGED SEVERANCE PAYMENT NOT IN THE FILE

Çalık Holding's lawyers had claimed that all of Eğrek's rights and severance pay had been paid. However, the victim's lawyers stated that there was no document in the case file regarding this payment and that no official document confirming the claim had reached them.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Erol Eğrek, who claimed that he had been dismissed while working at a textile factory in Turkmenistan and had not been able to receive his severance pay for 10 years, went to Çalık Holding's headquarters in Şişli in May to seek his rights. Eğrek, who was beaten there by people alleged to be security guards, lost his life in the hospital.

In a video he recorded shortly before the incident, Eğrek had said, "I haven't been able to receive my severance pay for 10 years. I am fighting for my rights. Let them give me my severance pay, I have no other request."

Following the incident, 6 people, including one police officer, were detained, and the court decided to arrest suspects Adem Ateşoğlu, Salih Yılmaz, Semih Keser, and Ruşen Hayırlıoğlu, while the other two were released under judicial control.

In the first hearing, the prosecutor requested that the defendants be punished under the scope of "conscious negligence," which carries a lower penalty, rather than "probable intent." The parties' requests for additional defense were accepted, the detention of 3 defendants continued, and the hearing was adjourned.

In the second hearing, it emerged that the Eğrek family had submitted a petition to the court withdrawing their complaint and requesting that their status as intervening parties be removed.

News Source: 12punto