Decision in the Soma mine disaster case: 18 defendants received sentences ranging from 5 months to 6 months and 7 days.

29.04.2025 18:43

On May 13, 2014, a mining disaster occurred in the Soma district of Manisa, resulting in the deaths of 301 miners. Of the 28 public officials who were prosecuted in connection with the incident, 10 were acquitted, while 18 were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 5 months to 6 months and 7 days.

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On May 13, 2014, in the Soma district of Manisa, the trial of 28 public officials continued at the Soma 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance regarding the mining disaster that resulted in the deaths of 301 miners.

OBJECTION TO THE OPINION FROM THE LAWYERS OF MINER FAMILIES

While the defendants connected to the court via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS), the case was also followed by lawyers and families of the miners. During the verdict hearing, the miner families and their lawyers presented their counter-statements against the opinion submitted in the previous hearing. The lawyers of the miner families who objected to the prosecutor's opinion stated that the punishment should be applied for involuntary manslaughter and injury, not for abuse of office. The lawyers of the families criticized the defendants' absence from the hearing and reiterated their request for a "lack of jurisdiction" decision from the court.

DEFENSE LAWYERS REQUESTED 'STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS'

After the break in the hearing, the defense lawyers of the defendants claimed that the conditions for the statute of limitations had been met and requested the case to be dismissed. The defense of Ayhan Yüksel, the inspector of the Ministry of Labor and Social Security and the Chairman of the Chamber of Mining Engineers, was met with backlash from the miner families and their lawyers.

10 DEFENDANTS ACQUITTED, 18 DEFENDANTS RECEIVED PRISON SENTENCES BETWEEN 5 MONTHS AND 6 MONTHS 7 DAYS

The judge announced the decision, acquitting 10 defendants, including Ayhan Yüksel, of the charges, while sentencing 18 defendants to prison terms ranging from 5 months to 6 months and 7 days.

"THIS DECISION IS A DECISION THAT DOES NOT PROVIDE JUSTICE IN ANY WAY"

In statements made after the decision, Murat Kemal Gündüz, one of the lawyers of the miner families, pointed out that the judge adhered to the opinion, stating, "The judge gave an acquittal decision for 10 out of 28 defendants. We do not know the justification right now. Explanations will be made later. For 18 defendants, a conviction decision was given, varying between 5 months and 6 months and 7 days. This decision is a decision that does not provide justice in any way. Justice was not served. The families were saying inside that justice was buried under the rubble. That is true. Justice was buried under the rubble," he said. CHP Manisa Deputy Ahmet Vehbi Bakırlıoğlu, who followed the hearing, also claimed that the defendants were practically rewarded by being punished at the lowest level.

"WE KNOW WHAT WE HAVE BEEN THROUGH FOR 11 YEARS"

After the trial, Gülsüm Çolak, the mother of martyr miner Uğur Çolak, stated, "We know what we have been through for 11 years with God. I wish these public officials had been tried in the court of the main case in 2015. They made us experience the same pain over and over again. This was the 6th hearing, and we literally watched a movie. The judiciary should cry for itself from now on. The public no longer has trust in the judiciary," she said.

LEGAL PROCESS AFTER THE MINING DISASTER

In the mine operated by Soma Coal Inc., where approximately 5,000 people worked, a fire broke out during the shift change on May 13, 2014, and as a result of 96 hours of work in the smoke-filled galleries, 486 workers were rescued while the lifeless bodies of 301 workers were reached. Following the investigations initiated after the incident, Can Gürkan, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Soma Coal Enterprises Inc., General Manager Ramazan Doğru, Operations Manager Akın Çelik, Technical Manager İsmail Adalı, Technical Supervisor Ertan Ersoy, and safety technician Mehmet Ali Günay Çelik were arrested.

In the trial held at the Akhisar Heavy Penal Court, 5 detained defendants were sentenced to imprisonment ranging from 15 years to 22 years and 6 months, 9 defendants were released under judicial control, and 37 defendants were acquitted, while the İzmir Regional Court of Appeals 14th Criminal Chamber ruled for the release of Can Gürkan with a travel ban.

Furthermore, after the Supreme Court's 12th Criminal Chamber overturned the local court's decision, in the retrial, Can Gürkan, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of Soma Coal Enterprises Inc., was sentenced to 20 years, while mining engineers Adem Ormanoğlu and Efkan Kurt were each sentenced to 12 years and 6 months in prison, and Haluk Evinç was acquitted. In the completed retrial process, the local court's decision was upheld on April 4, 2022. Additionally, an indictment prepared by the Soma Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against 28 public officials for their negligence in the incident was accepted by the Soma 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance.