30.10.2025 18:52
In the trial regarding the Kartalkaya hotel fire, in which 78 people lost their lives, the lawyer of the accounting manager lost his temper. The lawyer claimed that his client, who did not want to be released, was "mentally challenged" and said, "I am representing him out of courtesy. This mentally challenged person should go and lie down for a while to get his head straight."
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In Bolu, the third hearing of the trial regarding the fire disaster at the Grand Kartal Hotel, which resulted in the deaths of 78 people, continues on its third day.
During the hearings held on Monday and Tuesday, the defenses of 18 defendants and their lawyers were taken, while the remaining 14 defendants and their lawyers also began to present their defenses. Kadir Özdemir, the Accounting Manager of Gazelle Hotel, which is part of Grand Kartal A.Ş., detained defendant Mehmet Salun, the accounting staff, and Cemal Özer, the assistant accounting manager, stated that they agreed with their previous statements.
"MY CLIENT IS MENTALLY CHALLENGED" Defendant Kadir Özdemir's lawyer, Serbülent Baykan, stated that his client does not seek acquittal and leaves the decision on release to the court, saying, "My client is mentally challenged. I told him this myself. He can sue me if he wants. I am doing this for the sake of formality. There is clear intent to kill here. Conscious negligence is a bait thrown in front of us. Who inspected this hotel? The Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The temperature of the hood is even specified in the standards. You ate and drank without looking at these."
Kadir Özdemir - Serbülent Baykan "LET THIS MENTALLY CHALLENGED PERSON LIE DOWN FOR A WHILE, LET HIM COME TO HIS SENSES" Lawyer Baykan stated that he is not doing this for money, saying, "Whoever is guilty, may God punish them. There is intent here, there is murder, clearly. The cleaning staff and 16 people burned to death. They even betrayed their own employees. I am not doing this for money. Our mentally challenged person has applied to annul the fire department report upon the instruction of Emir Aras. Let this mentally challenged person lie down for a while and come to his senses, and not take anyone else's power of attorney."
"THE DUTY NOT DEFINED FOR ME IN THE LAW WAS IMPOSED BY INSPECTORS" Detained defendant Sırrı Köstereli, the General Secretary of the Provincial Special Administration, stated that he agrees with previous statements, saying, "In 1999, the Grand Kartal Hotel was opened with a tourism operation certificate. The hotel applied to the Provincial Special Administration in 2001, and the license was granted by the managers of that time after the documents were provided. There is only a statement that it is inspected solely by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Therefore, it was said, 'You give the license, we will conduct the inspection.' I am not here due to negligence. The duty not defined for me in the law was imposed on me by inspectors. The inspectors acted with prejudice in their investigation and operated with the thought that they would only take action against you. I was detained and arrested without being notified on the day the investigation permission was granted."
REQUESTED PENALTIES The hotel owner Halit Ergül, the company's general manager Emir Aras, Gazelle Hotel General Manager Ahmet Demir, and the hotel's accounting manager Kadir Özdemir are facing a request for 1950 years for "intentional killing with probable intent" for 78 counts, and up to 178 years and 582 months in prison for "intentional injury with probable intent" and "intentional damage to property with probable intent."
For Deputy Mayor Sedat Gülener and Acting Fire Chief Kenan Coşkun, the same charges carry a request for 1950 years and up to 176 years and 570 months, while for firefighter İrfan Acar, a request for 1950 years and up to 172 years and 546 months in prison was made.
In the indictment, the board members of the company Emine Murtezaoğlu Ergül, Ceyda Hacıbekiroğlu, and Elif Aras, hotel manager Zeki Yılmaz, accounting staff Cemal Özer and Mehmet Salun, technical staff Tahsin Pekcan, Hüseyin Özer, Bayram Ütkü, kitchen staff Faysal Yaver and Reşat Bölük, occupational safety experts Kübra Demir and Ece Kayacan, reception staff Yiğithan Burak Çetin, officials of Mudurnu Energy Industry and Trade Inc. İbrahim Polat and İsmail Karagöz, FQC Global Certification Inc. official Ali Ağaoğlu and employee Aleyna Beşinci, and LPG installation maintenance staff Doğan Aydın and Muharrem Şen are facing a request for up to 22 years and 6 months in prison for "causing the death and injury of multiple people through conscious negligence."
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