03.12.2025 21:20
In the case of the Emre Apartment in Gaziantep, where 49 people died in the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes, four defendants were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 16 years and 3 months to 19 years and 6 months.
In Gaziantep, affected by the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, sentences ranging from 16 years and 3 months to 19 years and 6 months were given to 4 defendants in the case related to the Emre Apartment, where 49 people died and 17 were injured.
In the hearing at the 9th Heavy Criminal Court, the contractors of the apartment, detained defendants Ahmet Yıldız, Ali Emre, and Nazmi Tosun, along with the non-detained defendant Erol Özuslu, attended along with their lawyers and the relatives of the deceased.
"THEY SHOULD BE PUNISHED IN THE HARSHEST WAY"
The presiding judge decided to reject the requests sent to the file before the hearing and gave the complainants the floor.
The complainants demanded that the defendants be punished in the harshest way.
"I REQUEST MY ACQUITTAL FOR MYSELF"
Detained defendant Ahmet Yıldız stated that he did not agree with the indictment, saying, "The crimes attributed to me are technical issues, I have no technical supervision responsibility. There is no illegal or unlawful situation. There is an expert report in the file showing that the foundation is solid and sufficient. This report is the most important document showing that the foundation is solid. It was said that the building was constructed illegally and without a permit; a perception operation is being conducted. I am innocent, I request my acquittal."
Detained defendant Nazmi Tosun claimed that he was repeating what he said in previous hearings, asserting that the expert report did not reflect the truth, stating, "Our building is solid in terms of materials. The reasons for the building's collapse are short columns, mezzanines, and damages."
DEFENSE ATTORNEYS REQUESTED ACQUITTAL
Non-detained defendant architect Erol Özuslu stated that the allegations regarding acting contrary to technical requirements were not true and claimed he was innocent.
Detained defendant Ali Emre claimed that the statements of detained defendant Nazmi Tosun were not correct, alleging that some defendants gave statements against him by agreement, asserting that he had no involvement in the building's collapse. The defense attorneys stated that their clients were innocent and requested acquittal.
PENALTIES ANNOUNCED
The court panel sentenced detained defendant Ali Emre to 19 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of "causing the death and injury of multiple people by negligence," deciding that there was no room for a reduction.
The panel sentenced defendants Erol Özuslu and Ahmet Yıldız to 16 years and 3 months, and Nazmi Tosun to 17 years and 6 months in prison for the same crime, and decided on the release of the detained defendants under judicial control conditions. The panel also decided to suspend the defendants from their profession for 2 years.