24.03.2025 12:50
The verdict has been announced in the case of the Amasra mining disaster, in which 43 miners lost their lives. While three defendants were acquitted, 20 defendants received prison sentences of up to 16 years. Families reacted to the decision by shouting "Justice" in front of the courthouse.
In the Amasra district of Bartın, in the mining disaster at the Turkish Hard Coal Enterprise Amasra Facility, where 43 miners lost their lives, sentences ranging from 3 to 16 years were given to 20 defendants, including the then facility manager Cihat Özdemir, Operations Manager Selçuk Ekmekci, Chief Engineer of Occupational Safety and Training Volkan Soylu, and Chief Engineer Mehmet Tural.
In the explosion that occurred on October 14, 2022, in the mine belonging to TTK Amasra Facility, 43 workers lost their lives, and 9 workers were injured. The trial of 23 defendants, including the then facility manager Cihat Özdemir, continued, with 4 of them being detained. In the decision hearing of the case held at the Bartın Heavy Penal Court, the court ruled that the defendants were to be punished for "causing the death and injury of multiple persons through conscious negligence." A travel ban abroad and judicial control conditions were imposed on all defendants.
WHO RECEIVED HOW MUCH SENTENCE? The then facility manager Cihat Özdemir received a sentence of 16 years and 12 months, with his detention continuing; Operations Manager Selçuk Ekmekci received 16 years and 6 months, with his detention continuing; Chief Engineer Mehmet Tural received 16 years and 6 months, with his detention continuing; Chief Engineer of Occupational Safety and Training Volkan Soylu received 15 years, with his detention continuing; Responsible Mining Engineer Levent Aydın received 9 years; Safety Engineer Şahan Kahraman received 9 years; Shift Engineer Recep Orhan received 5 years; Drilling Engineer Hakkı Oğuz Karakuş received 5 years; Mining Engineer İbrahim Hakan Mengeş received 5 years; Preparation Service Engineer and Class A Occupational Safety Specialist Hidayet Gökdere received 5 years; Accident Investigation Engineer and Class A Occupational Safety Specialist Fazıl Karaküp received 5 years; Electrical Engineer Serkan Özdoğan received 3 years and 9 months; Deputy Facility Manager responsible for administrative and financial matters Süleyman Sırrı Bayraktar received 3 years, 1 month, and 15 days; Safety Shift Supervisor Mustafa Olgun received 3 years, 1 month, and 15 days; Gas Monitoring Mining Technician Mehmet Özdemir received 3 years and 9 months; Safety Chief Ferhan Güneş received 3 years, 1 month, and 15 days; Electrical Engineer Hüseyin Ogan received 3 years and 9 months; Electromechanical Branch Manager Mehmet Güneş received 3 years, 1 month, and 15 days; 2nd Carting Chief Şenol Kaya received 3 years, 1 month, and 15 days; and Preparation Chief Selami Yeşilsu received 3 years, 1 month, and 15 days in prison.
FAMILIES REACT TO THE DECISION The court ruled for the acquittal of Salih Atmaca, Tayfun Uça, and Onur Öztürk. The panel found that the defendants caused the death and injury of multiple persons through conscious negligence, while ruling for the imposition of a travel ban abroad and judicial control conditions for all defendants. After the reading of the decision, the families and lawyers watching the hearing reacted to the decision. Protests continued outside the courthouse as well.