Second hearing in the Rönesans Rezidans case to be held tomorrow

The second hearing of the case regarding the Rönesans Rezidans, which collapsed in the February 6 Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, resulting in the deaths of 269 people, will be held tomorrow. At the hearing, the court panel is expected to make a decision regarding the request for the charges to be upgraded to "probable intent." Families and their lawyers stated, "We want everyone who is at fault for the Rönesans Rezidans to be tried for 'probable intent' and receive the sentences they deserve."

IT WAS CALLED "A CORNER OF PARADISE"

The Rönesans Rezidans in Hatay, which was sold with the slogan "a corner of paradise," was among the structures that collapsed in the February 6 earthquakes. Among the 269 people who lost their lives in the Rönesans Rezidans were Hatayspor footballer Christian Atsu, Hatayspor Sporting Director Taner Savut, and national handball player Cemal Kütahya; 13 people were also injured. No trace has been found of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hatay Representative Devrim Öztürk and some other citizens who remained under the rubble of the Rönesans Rezidans.

In the indictment, the Hatay Chief Public Prosecutor's Office requested up to 22 years and 6 months in prison each for the detained defendants—contractor Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun, building inspection company officials Mehmet Haşim Eraslan and Bülent Seküçoğlu, and inspection personnel Önder Artun—as well as for the non-detained defendants—building inspection company official Ayhan Karan, construction technician İbrahim Dahıroğlu, and site manager Bayram Mansuroğlu—and for the fugitive Hüseyin Yalçın Coşkun, who is the brother of contractor Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun, the static project manager of the residence, a site manager, and a company partner, on charges of "causing the death of more than one person through conscious negligence." The fugitive Hüseyin Yalçın Coşkun is being sought via a red notice.

In the first hearing held on April 18, 2024, the court panel decided to continue the detention of the imprisoned defendants and to evaluate the request of the plaintiffs' lawyers for the defendants to be "tried for probable intent" at the next hearing, adjourning the case to July 17, 2024.

Speaking to the ANKA News Agency before the hearing, the families and their lawyers said, "We want everyone who is at fault for the Rönesans Rezidans to be tried for 'probable intent' and receive the sentences they deserve."

CONTRACTOR WAS CAUGHT WHILE FLEEING ABROAD

Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun, one of the partners of Antis Yapı, the contractor of the 250-apartment Rönesans Rezidans that collapsed in Hatay during the major earthquake that shook Turkey, was caught at Istanbul Airport on February 10, 2023, while attempting to flee abroad on a 19:50 Turkish Airlines flight to Montenegro with a significant amount of cash in his possession, and was subsequently arrested.

News Source: 12punto