29.04.2026 00:22
In the disaster that occurred on July 12, 2024, in Izmir's Alsancak district, resulting in the deaths of two people by electrocution, the judicial process has taken a new turn. The indictment prepared against 6 senior officials, including current and former IZSU general directors who have been authorized for investigation, has been submitted to the court. The defendants, who face up to 22 years and 6 months in prison on charges of 'causing the death of more than one person by conscious negligence,' will appear before the judge in July.
A critical stage has been reached in the investigation regarding the incident during a heavy rain in Izmir, where two people lost their lives. An indictment has been prepared against IZSU personnel, including senior executives, related to the two individuals who died from electric shock, initiating the judicial process.
LAWSUIT AGAINST 6 IZSU PERSONNEL An indictment has been prepared against 6 IZSU personnel, including the current and former General Director of the Izmir Water and Sewerage Administration (IZSU), whose case was separated because they are civil servants, regarding the death of 2 people who were electrocuted while trying to take shelter from the rain in the Konak district of Izmir. They face up to 22 years and 6 months in prison on charges of "causing the death and injury of more than one person by conscious negligence."
INDICTMENT PREPARED After the Izmir Governorship decided on May 8, 2025 to "grant permission for investigation," the Izmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office prepared an indictment against 6 defendants, IZSU personnel whose case was separated because they are civil servants, regarding the death of Ozge Ceren Deniz (23) and Inanc Oktemay (44), who were electrocuted when they stepped into a puddle while trying to cross the road during a downpour on July 12, 2024 in the Alsancak neighborhood.
CONSCIOUS NEGLIGENCE CHARGES AGAINST SENIOR FIGURES The indictment, prepared against IZSU General Manager Gurkan Erdogan, IZSU Deputy General Manager S.S, former IZSU General Manager Ali Hidir Koseoglu, IZSU General Directorate Sewerage Department Southern Region Branch Manager O.K, IZSU General Directorate Sewerage Department Head B.K, and engineer E.N. from the IZSU General Directorate Sewerage Department, seeking up to 22 years and 6 months in prison on charges of "causing the death and injury of more than one person by conscious negligence," has been sent to the Izmir 10th Heavy Penal Court with a request for consolidation.
IZSU General Manager Gurkan Erdogan The defendants will appear before the judge on July 10.
Former IZSU General Manager Ali Hidir Koseoglu Ayshe Saricicek, the lawyer for Ozge Ceren Deniz's family, stated that their complaints against the 6 defendants continue.
ELECTROCUTED Ozge Ceren Deniz and Inanc Oktemay, who tried to save her, lost their lives when they stepped into a puddle and were electrocuted while trying to cross the road during a downpour on July 12, 2024 in the Alsancak neighborhood of Konak district, Izmir.
Ozge Ceren Deniz In the expert report, it was stated that GDZ Elektrik company did not bury its cables at sufficient depth near the puddle grate, that IZSU brought the cables closer to the surface during grate construction, and that the lack of adequate coordination between the two institutions was effective in the occurrence of the incident.
Inanc Oktemay JUDICIAL PROCESS 46 suspects were arrested in connection with the incident, and 13 were detained. During the trial, the case file of 6 defendants, including 2 detained IZSU employees who are civil servants, was separated, and 4 detained defendants were released in the interim decision.
The court panel formed a new expert committee, and a new discovery was made at the site of the deaths on December 9, 2024, and a new expert report was prepared.
At the verdict hearing on October 10, 2025, the court sentenced 30 defendants to prison terms ranging from 4 years and 2 months to 10 years, acquitted 9 defendants, and ordered the arrest of 6 non-custodial defendants.
The Izmir Regional Court of Justice 14th Criminal Chamber released 11 defendants on March 12, considering their degree of fault in the occurrence of the accident and the time they spent in detention.
The Chamber decided to hold a hearing for some defendants and ordered the acquisition of a new report from an expert committee specialized in the subject as part of the case file.