In Bolu, 11 out of 32 suspects received life sentences! Tears flowed in front of the court.

31.10.2025 19:56

In the case of the Grand Kartal Hotel fire, 11 defendants, including hotel owner Halit Ergül, were sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment. The relatives of those who lost their lives in the fire were unable to hold back their tears as they left the courthouse. Abdurrahman Gençbay, the President of the 9th Chamber of the Council of State, who lost his doctor son in the hotel fire, stated, "This is an incredible decision that could serve as a precedent in Turkish legal history."

```html

In the case regarding the Grand Kartal Hotel fire in Bolu Kartalkaya Ski Center, where 78 people lost their lives and 137 were injured, a decision was announced in the trial of 32 defendants, including the hotel owner and municipal officials, 20 of whom are in custody.

In the specially created courtroom in the sports hall of Bolu Social Sciences High School, after the defendants were asked for their final words, the court announced its decision. The panel sentenced the detained defendants, hotel owner Halit Ergül, board members of the company Emine Murtezaoğlu Ergül, Elif Aras, and Ceyda Hacıbekiroğlu, hotel manager Zeki Yılmaz, Gazelle Hotel General Manager Ahmet Demir, hotel accounting manager Kadir Özdemir, hotel general manager Emir Aras, Bolu Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener, Acting Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun, and firefighter İrfan Acar to life imprisonment for "intentional homicide" against 34 children, with each receiving 34 life sentences.

Additionally, 11 defendants were sentenced to 24 years and 11 months in prison for "intentional homicide" regarding the 44 adults who lost their lives in the fire.

OTHER SENTENCES

The panel sentenced Cemal Özer and Mehmet Salun to 22 years and 3 months, Doğan Aydın, Muharrem Şen, and Kübra Demir to 21 years and 4 months and 15 days, Reşat Bölük, Tahsin Pekcan, Hüseyin Özer, Ali Ağaoğlu, Aleyna Beşinci, İbrahim Polat, İsmail Karagöz, Sırrı Köstereli, Bünyamin Bal, Mehmet Özel, and Yeliz Erdoğan to 21 years, Yigithan Burak Çetin to 12 years, and Bayram Ütkü to 18 years in prison for the crime of causing the death and injury of multiple people through conscious negligence.

3 DEFENDANTS ACQUITTED

The panel decided to acquit Faysal Yaver, Ece Kayacan, and Enver Öztürk. The court also decided to continue the detention of the detained defendants, to arrest İbrahim Polat and İsmail Karagöz, and to apply the judicial control measure of 'not leaving the residence' for Doğan Aydın. Additionally, the 11 defendants who received prison sentences for 'intentional homicide' were also convicted of 'injury' and 'damage to property' at various rates.

"A PRECEDENT-SETTING DECISION"

After the court session, the relatives of those who lost their lives in the fire could not hold back their tears. Grieving families made statements to the press. Zeynep Kotan, who lost her son Ömür Kotan in the fire, stated that the decision is precedent-setting, saying, "Of course, we will learn the details of the decision, but the decision given now is a precedent-setting decision. I think there will be more to come. This was the first stage. You saw us here. We are all together, we will continue our struggle together."

"THE JUDGE DID NOT FALL FOR THE FAIRY TALES INSIDE"

Gözlem Güngör, who lost her brother Kıvanç, her husband Burcu, and her nephews Kerem and Pelin Güngör in the fire, said, "We struggled a lot. We hoped a lot. The judge gave a very fair decision. We explained our troubles very well. We attended every hearing. The judge was very fair, we thank him very much. He did not fall for the fairy tales inside. You cannot believe what was told inside. It was a comedy inside; but we thank the judge very much. The people of Bolu did not leave us alone either. How can we be happy in the midst of this pain? It is an incredible thing," she said.

DANISTAY 9TH CHAMBER PRESIDENT GENÇBAY: "LONG LIVE HELL FOR THE OPPRESSORS"

Abdurrahman Gençbay, the complainant and President of the Danıştay 9th Chamber, who lost his son Yiğit Gençbay, a doctor, in the hotel fire, made statements to the press after the hearing.

Gençbay stated that the decision taken by the court is a precedent, saying, "Yes, thank God, friends, after months of trial, the Supreme Court just announced its decision. We never lost hope in justice. From the first day, from the first hearing, we kept our hope alive, especially in the esteemed panel, starting with the president, and we believed that the decision that would come out of here would resonate in society and soothe hearts. Thank God, at this point we have reached, the decision given is, in my opinion, a tremendous decision that could be a precedent in the history of Turkish law. Today, the panel proved to all of Turkey and the world that there are judges in Bolu. We had named this 'organized evil.' In the fight against this organized evil, we believed that the decision to be given regarding those who participated in this organized evil, from public officials to business owners, partners, and personnel, would set a precedent to prevent such disasters, which are not suitable for this society, from happening again. Today, the realization of what we said, its manifestation moved us and excited us. Our hope for the future, for law, has increased. I had said before: Our mothers would not be left to seek justice in the hereafter, in the great court with this decision. Indeed, it happened. Now mothers have seen that justice has been served in this case, and thank God this decision has found its place in society. Although it may seem contradictory to say this as a lawyer, really 'Long live hell for the oppressors.' We had lost 78 of our loved ones. They were all bright people, bright children, young people, mothers, and fathers. I believe that the decision given today will also touch their souls," he said.