The trial at the Heavy Penal Court in Kahramanmaraş involving the defendants Hasan Ç., Yavuz K., and Melike Y., who are in custody, was connected via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS), while the other defendant in custody, Halil Y., and the defendants Halil İbrahim U. and Murat K., as well as the plaintiffs and their lawyers, were present in the courtroom. Hasan Ç., who did not accept the charges, requested his acquittal stating that he has been in prison for 15 months. He emphasized that even his relatives had lost their lives in the area, and he argued that the construction was carried out based on a report provided by the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) from the year 2011, which allowed for a three-story building to be constructed after ground improvement efforts.
Hasan Ç. emphasized that the area should not have been opened for construction without proper notification to them as investors, and he questioned how such a decision was made without considering the State Hydraulic Works’ report. He stated that, as a businessman, he simply purchased the necessary materials for the construction and had no direct involvement in the construction process. Yavuz K., another defendant in custody, claimed that a structural analysis conducted in 2016 was flawed, leading to the approval of a nine-story building construction on unsuitable ground. He expressed his discontent and held the responsible parties accountable for the oversight. He also mentioned the seismic activity in Kahramanmaraş, which was not taken into consideration during the construction.
Halil Y., a detained defendant responsible for construction oversight, defended his actions, stating that he had performed his duties in compliance with the regulations. He requested a new expert committee to reevaluate the evidence, emphasizing that the samples from the collapsed building were not accurately analyzed. The defendants’ lawyers called for a reassessment of the evidence by a new expert committee and requested the consideration of the samples taken before the earthquake. The court decided to extend the custody of the detained defendants and referred the case back to the expert committee, postponing the trial until July 9.
The Kahramanmaraş Public Prosecutor’s Office seeks a sentence of up to 22 years and 6 months for the defendants in the indictment prepared against them. The defendants, both in custody and released, denied the charges and requested their acquittal. The complex legal proceedings and technical aspects concerning the construction site collapse have raised questions about accountability, oversight, and compliance with safety regulations. The court’s decision to revisit the evidence and involve a new expert committee reflects the importance of thorough investigation in cases involving multiple fatalities. The outcome of the trial will determine the responsibility and consequences faced by the defendants in relation to the tragic incident.
