06.11.2025 21:14
In the case regarding the deaths of 72 people in the Grand İsias Hotel, which collapsed during the earthquakes in Adıyaman on February 6, the court rejected the request for the defendants' arrest and decided to continue their judicial controls and evaluate the objections to the expert report. The hearing has been postponed to January 19, 2026. Meanwhile, the trial was also attended by the Prime Minister of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Ünal Üstel.
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As a result of the collapse of the Grand İsias Hotel in Adıyaman during the earthquakes on February 6, 72 people lost their lives, including students and tour guides from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), and 10 people were injured.
LAWSUIT AGAINST PUBLIC OFFICIALS
The then Adıyaman Municipality Planning Director Yusuf Gül, who approved the hotel's initial construction permit in 1993, the Planning Director Mehmet Salih Alkayış, who signed the second construction permit in 2001, the Permit Office Chief Bilal Balcı, the then Deputy Mayor Osman Bulut, permanent worker Abdurrahman Karaaslan from the Building Control Unit, and technician Fazlı Karakuş from the Permit Office were charged with "causing death and injury by negligence."
TRNC PRIME MINISTER ÜNAL ÜSTEL ALSO WATCHED THE HEARING
The third hearing of the case was held at the Adıyaman 1st Heavy Criminal Court. Relatives of those who lost their lives in the earthquake, public officials being tried without detention, and lawyers for the parties attended the hearing. TRNC Prime Minister Ünal Üstel also followed the hearing.
REQUEST FOR "DEFENDANTS TO BE ARRESTED"
Mustafa Kalaycı, who lost his son, said, "Our children were trapped under the rubble; justice should not be buried under the rubble." Enver Karakaya, who lost his daughter, stated, "They should not leave the court today without being held accountable." Can Ahmet Yeniçeri, who lost his daughter Ecem and his wife Bedriye in the rubble of the hotel, said, "I am complaining about the public officials. I want justice to be served. I request their arrest and prosecution for possible intent." The complainants' lawyers noted that there were contradictions in the expert report and requested a new report to be prepared by a new expert committee. Additionally, they demanded the arrest of the public officials. The public prosecutor stated that they did not request a new expert report in their opinion.
"THEY TURNED IT INTO A HOTEL AFTER MY TERM ENDED"
Yusuf Gül, the then Adıyaman Municipality Planning Director who approved the first construction permit in 1993, stated in his defense that he learned about the expert report during the hearing and agreed with it. Gül expressed that he approved the building permit but claimed that he had no responsibility in the process after his term ended when the structure was converted into a hotel.
The then Permit Office Chief Bilal Balcı pointed out that there were deficiencies and errors in the expert report, stating, "The expert report was prepared without taking our defenses into account. I do not agree with their evaluations; I will submit my defense and opinions regarding the report in writing." Balcı noted that many renovations were made to the building in 2006 and that illegal floors were added, saying, "The responsible parties from that period are not being tried; we are being tried."
The then Deputy Mayor Osman Bulut objected to the expert report. Stating that the building was constructed in three phases, Bulut said, "The first phase was completed in 1993, and I was not in office at that time. I took office at the municipality after 2001, and the processes were carried out with three signatures. I also signed as the deputy mayor. This was only an application for that period. The aim was to ensure that the documents were kept properly. I was in the fire department in 2004 and retired in 2005. I do not know what happened after that."
"I ONLY TRANSFERRED THE FILE RECEIVED FROM THE CHIEF TO A PRINTED FORM"
Abdurrahman Karaaslan, a permanent worker in the Building Control Unit, stated that he read the expert report and said it was not possible for him to be informed about the content of the file. Karaaslan said, "I only transferred the file received from the chief to a printed form; my duty was limited to this process."
Technician Fazlı Karakuş, who worked in the Permit Office, stated, "I filled out the building usage form and submitted it to the authorized person; my signature is in that direction."
Mehmet Salih Alkayış, the Planning Director who signed the second construction permit in 2001, stated that he did not agree with the expert report and said he would provide a written opinion regarding the report. Alkayış expressed that he would respond to the questions in his written opinion.
REJECTION OF THE REQUEST FOR THE ARREST OF PUBLIC OFFICIAL DEFENDANTS
The public prosecutor requested the continuation of judicial control measures while asking for the rejection of the arrest request. The court rejected the request for the arrest of the defendants and decided to continue their judicial controls and to grant a one-month period for objections against the expert report. The hearing was postponed to January 19, 2026.
"THE COURT'S PATH REGARDING THE EXPERT WILL BE LARGELY CLARIFIED"
Hasan Esendağlı, President of the Turkish Cypriot Bar Association, and families made a statement after the hearing. Esendağlı said, "Friends, actually today was an important day for the third session of this hearing. The expert report that entered the file 10 days ago was explained to the court by the parties regarding what they would say. This expert report contains concrete evidence of the accusations attributed to the defendants so far based on the indictment and verbal statements. In other words, the activities of the public officials being tried in the context of the powers they used during that period, regarding the process of operating this building as a hotel, have been documented in the file as unlawful and criminal acts."
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As of today, the court rejected the requests for the arrest of the defendants on the grounds that there was no suspicion of flight or tampering with evidence and decided to continue the judicial control requests. The case has been postponed to January 19, 2026. Until that date, the parties will present their written requests and claims regarding the expert report. At the end of this one-month period, the court will decide whether to obtain an additional report from another expert panel. Therefore, when we come to the next hearing, the court's path regarding the expert will largely be clarified. This will also bring the case to its final stage.
"IN LIGHT OF SO MUCH EVIDENCE, THE DEFENDANTS LEFT THE COURTROOM WITH SMILES ON THEIR FACES"
The President of the Champion Angels Living Association, Ruşen Yücesoylu Karakaya, stated: "Nothing has changed. We are experiencing the same things we experienced in the first criminal case, with this prosecutor and this judge panel. In light of so much evidence, while every detail presented in court today should have resulted in detention, a decision was made to continue judicial control. In light of so much evidence, the defendants left the courtroom with smiles on their faces.
We are talking about human scum that disregards the pain and anger within us. These people are murderers. We are going home without our children by our side. Those defendants who left the courtroom with smiles on their faces, you are all guilty. How else can we prove this to you? Enough is enough. This case is one of possible intent to kill, and the court panel needs to see this.
"ENOUGH ALREADY, MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS"
The prosecutor should be on our side, but he spoke in a low voice and made his statement in two seconds. How do they expect us to endure this, disregarding the families? We are waiting for justice for our children. They need to rot in prison. We want this for the future of Turkey. Our children are no longer here; they have become mere pictures, left behind. They are all lying in martyrdom in Mağusa. They say they are fighting for the future of other children, but no one cares.
Enough already. Make the right decisions. An expert report will be requested. Another expert panel will be formed. The experts are tired; they write reports without even reading the documents. They say they are not responsible, but it is impossible. The evidence is clear. Everything is evident. Our lawyers have said this repeatedly. What more do we need to do? All of us are trembling. We are devastated by pain. Enough already. I hope they will see some truths in the next hearing.
As you can see, all the families; the families of the Champion Angels, the families of the tourist guides… We are not going anywhere. This case will result in possible intent to kill. You cannot remain indifferent in light of so much evidence. We announce again from here: Our struggle is not over. Everyone is on our side. Everyone is with us. We will be here again.
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