13.11.2026 15:10
A scuffle broke out at a protest by workers outside the HABAŞ Iron and Steel Factory in İzmir’s Aliağa district, where 18 workers lost their lives, against a mobile phone ban. While a worker who was speaking was voicing their demands, they were pushed by two people alleged to be factory officials. Other workers nearby then beat the people who pushed their colleague. The events were recorded on a mobile phone camera.
There was tension in the protest by workers in front of the HABAŞ Iron and Steel Factory in Aliağa, reacting to the mobile phone ban introduced by management. The scuffle that occurred during the protest was captured on a mobile phone camera.
WORKER WHO MADE A SPEECH WAS PUSHED
A worker who was making a speech in front of the factory to protest the phone ban was pushed by two people. Meanwhile, there were many workers next to the shuttle buses in front of the factory.
WORKERS STOOD UP FOR THEIR COLLEAGUES
After the worker was pushed, workers gathered at the scene stood up for their colleague and beat the people who intervened. The two people who pushed the worker who made the speech and who are alleged to be factory officials barely escaped being lynched.
In the footage, it was seen that some workers beat the two people, while some workers tried to step in. The two people who were beaten ran toward the factory without even looking back. The scuffle ended when those around stepped in.
REACTION TO THE PHONE BAN
Factory management asked workers arriving for the morning shift to leave their phones in boxes at the security checkpoint. It was announced that the practice was introduced on the instruction of HABAŞ Board of Directors Chairman Mehmet Rüştü Başaran, who was placed under house arrest in the investigation into the explosion. Workers who refused to hand over their phones stopped work and closed the road in front of the factory to traffic. The workers are demanding mourning leave, paid leave and an independent inspection.
18 WORKERS HAD LOST THEIR LIVES
In the explosion that occurred on November 9 in the steelworks section of the HABAŞ Iron and Steel Factory in Aliağa, 18 workers had lost their lives. Of the 11 suspects detained within the scope of the investigation, 9 were arrested, and a judicial control decision in the form of house arrest was issued for Başaran and 1 suspect.