17.10.2025 00:01
The trial regarding the deaths of 6 people who were vacationing in the 'Foggy Valley' bungalows during the flood disaster in İğneada, Demirköy district of Kırklareli, is being re-examined after the appellate court overturned the previous decision. In the third hearing of the case, Bülent Bayrak, the only defendant who was previously sentenced to 11 years and 3 months in prison, was this time sentenced to 18 years in prison.
On September 5, 2023, during heavy rainfall in the İğneada district of Demirköy, a flood occurred in the area where the tourist bungalows are located in the 'Longoz Forests' at the Misty Valley. Doctor Selman Bağışlar, his wife Mihriban Bağışlar, Suna Duman, retired teacher Raile Şimşek, his wife Ahmet Baki Şimşek, and facility manager Ümit Solmaz, who were vacationing in the bungalows set up in the creek, were swept away by the floodwaters and lost their lives. In the investigation conducted regarding the incident, it was revealed that 18 bungalows built under the name 'Misty Valley' were constructed in violation of the permit.
A DEMOLITION DECISION HAS BEEN MADE REGARDING THE BUNGALOWS
It was also understood that a demolition decision had been made regarding the business sealed by the Special Administration. However, despite the demolition decision, it was determined that the bungalows promoted on social media under the name 'Misty Valley' were listed as 'mixed farm' in the tax certificate. It was also found that the facilities, which were determined to operate under the name 'production without specialization in plant or animal production', were promoted on their social media accounts with phrases like 'Waking up in nature, waking up to nature' and 'Plenty of oxygen, less stress'.
22 YEARS OF PRISON DEMAND FOR 4 PEOPLE IN THE TRAGEDY WHERE 6 PEOPLE DIED
In the investigation conducted by the Kırklareli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, an arrest warrant was issued for the facility owner Bülent Bayrak on the charge of 'causing the death of multiple people by negligence'. Bayrak, who was caught in Keşan, along with company executives Sevcan Ulutürk and Cenan Aydın, was arrested. Ulutürk and Aydın were later released after their lawyers' appeal.
The indictment prepared by the Kırklareli Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the incident was accepted by the Kırklareli 2nd High Criminal Court. In the indictment, a prison sentence of 3 years to 22 years and 6 months was requested for the detained Bayrak and company executives Büşra Gökgöz, Cenan Aydın, and Sevcan Ulutürk for the crime of 'causing the death and injury of multiple people by conscious negligence'.
AN EXPERT REPORT HAS BEEN PREPARED
After the Kırklareli 2nd High Criminal Court, where the defendants are being tried, decided to conduct an inspection with an expert team at the scene, the team formed on June 28 of last year conducted the inspection. The report prepared by the expert team, which included Civil Engineer-Architect Assoc. Prof. Dr. İsmail Dabanlı from Istanbul Technical University, Meteorology Engineer Assoc. Prof. Dr. Elçin Tan, Civil Engineer Dr. Faculty Member H. Emre Alçiçek, and Geology Engineer Dr. Orhan Yavuz, was submitted to the court. In the 21-page report, which included sketches and photographs of the scene, detained defendant Bülent Bayrak, and non-detained defendants Cenan Aydın, Büşra Gökgöz, and the Provincial Special Administration were found to be 'primarily at fault'. It was determined that Sevcan Ulutürk had no fault.
3 DEFENDANTS WERE SENTENCED TO PRISON
Prosecutor Uğur Öztürk requested that 4 defendants, 1 of whom is detained, be punished for the crime of 'causing the death of multiple people by conscious negligence' and 6 separate counts of 'causing death with probable intent'. In the decision made by the court at the 8th hearing, detained facility owner Bülent Bayrak, for whom the prosecutor requested punishment for 'probable intent', was sentenced to 11 years and 3 months for the crime of 'causing the death of multiple people by conscious negligence', while non-detained defendants Cenan Aydın and Büşra Gökgöz were sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison each, and Sevcan Ulutürk was acquitted. While it was decided to continue Bayrak's detention, it was ruled that the judicial control conditions for Cenan Aydın and Büşra Gökgöz would continue.
THE APPEAL COURT OVERTURNED THE DECISION
After the reasoned decision announced by the Kırklareli 2nd High Criminal Court, the relatives of those who lost their lives in the flood took the decision to the appeal court. The appeal court overturned the decision made by the local court. In the retrial conducted after the overturning, the 3rd hearing was held today. The hearing was attended by the families of those who lost their lives in the flood, their lawyers, detained defendant Bülent Bayrak, and his lawyers.
Non-detained defendants Büşra Gökgöz, Cenan Aydın, and Sevcan Ulutürk participated in the hearing via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS). During the hearing, Safiye Yaşa, who lost her daughter Mihriban Bağışlar and son-in-law Selman Bağışlar in the flood, along with her lawyers, requested the recusal of the judge, stating that the judge had made various visits and indicating that she did not know anyone. The judge stated that she had come to Kırklareli 2 days ago and did not know anyone, and that she had made visits and photographs were taken during these visits. The request was rejected by the court on the grounds that it aimed to prolong the hearing.
DIGITAL DATA COULD NOT BE RECOVERED
Following the request of the relatives of the deceased for the examination of digital materials in previous hearings, the report from the National Criminal Bureau, to which the materials were sent, reached the court. The report stated, "The HDDs were found to be physically damaged and not functioning. Upon examination of the file, it was understood that previously, the HDDs had been sent to TÜBİTAK and the gendarmerie for repair of physical damages. The received HDDs were opened in a dust-free cabinet, and the disk surfaces and reader heads, as well as the motherboards, were checked and their currents were measured. It was observed that there was significant damage to the reader heads and disk parts of the hard disks. It was thought that the deep scratches and damages were due to consecutive reading attempts and repair works. Despite the most advanced damage repair attempts, it was understood that no recovery could be made due to previous interventions. Without any intervention, the HDDs sent to the National Criminal Bureau initially have a high data recovery success rate. However, in this case, despite all advanced repairs, data recovery was not possible," it was stated.
THE MOTHER WAS GIVEN 2 DAYS OF DISCIPLINARY JAIL TIME
During the hearing, Safiye Yaşa, who argued with the court panel and raised her voice, along with her son Mehmethan Yaşa, was taken outside by the court president, and a break was given. Safiye Yaşa, who became unwell outside, was taken to the hospital by ambulance. After being warned to Yaşa, for raising her voice at the panel, making statements contrary to procedure against the court panel, and disrupting the order of the hearing, it was unanimously decided to impose 2 days of disciplinary jail time and to issue an arrest warrant.
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BAYRAK MADE HIS DEFENSE IN TEARS
After the break in the hearing, the only detained defendant of the case, facility owner Bülent Bayrak, stated that he had not been able to fully make his defense from the very beginning, mentioning that requests for recusal had been made in 5-6 hearings, that Safiye Yaşa had constantly insulted him, and that he believed he was being unjustly prosecuted. Bayrak, who made his defense while occasionally crying, said, "Insults were also directed at the previous judge. I was called a sold-out dog and pens were thrown. We knew you would be attacked too. I have been detained for 26 months. I have no power left to compensate anyone. 90% of what is said is a lie; no one changed the riverbed, we obtained opinions from 11 public institutions. The report from the DSİ was in favor of us. We have licensed structures in the area, hundreds of trees, and the dam built by the state was destroyed. I was acquitted of the case opened against me for being unlicensed and breaking the seal. Opinions were obtained from 11 institutions, including public institutions, and none of the major ones, including the DSİ, said there would be a flood here. I did not bribe anyone for this Misty Valley. I have no connections. At 3 a.m. that night, the natural disaster threshold was exceeded. It is mentioned in the expert reports of those who built the dam. Large-bodied trees fell like toothpicks. Those who built the dam, the electricity pole, and the road could not foresee that such a natural disaster would occur; how could I foresee it? If someone had told me there was a flood risk here, I would have been guilty. There was no warning; how could I know a flood was coming? If the DSİ gave me a suitable report, how could it be my fault? It is mentioned that the water height is approximately 6 meters. The expert reports state that more than 40 thousand tons of logs came to the land. If I knew that 40 thousand tons of logs would come to my land, I wouldn't even take a step, let alone build. No one has been as passionate about this situation as I have for 26 months. In similar incidents, they are detained for 3-6 months. Because this is a natural disaster; if I had foreseen it, I wouldn't have done such a thing. I request my acquittal and release, as it is necessary to be placed in an open prison or house arrest to manage my business," he said.
BAYRAK'S SENTENCE WAS INCREASED TO 18 YEARS
The court found that the defendant Bülent Bayrak was guilty of the crime of 'causing the death and injury of multiple people by negligence', and considering the severity of the defendant's negligence and the severity of the damage and danger caused, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison. Then, due to the fact that the defendant committed the act with 'conscious negligence', the sentence was increased by 1/2, resulting in an 18-year prison sentence. It was decided that there was no room for further increases or reductions in the sentence, and the detention status was continued.
Defendants Cenan Aydın and Büşra Gökgöz, who were not detained, were sentenced to 7 years and 6 months in prison each, while Sevcan Ulutürk was acquitted.
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