24.01.2025 17:41
The defense of Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun, the contractor of the Renaissance Residence, which collapsed in the earthquakes in Hatay on February 6, 2023, and became a grave for 269 people, left everyone stunned during the trial. Coşkun stated that the building collapsed due to the magnitude of the earthquake, saying, "I decided to go to Montenegro to stay with my brother because I had nowhere to stay. I did not run away from anything."
In the Antalya district of Hatay, the Rönesans Residence, consisting of 250 apartments, was reduced to rubble in seconds during the earthquakes on February 6, 2023, which are referred to as the "disaster of the century," claiming the lives of 269 people. Within the framework of the investigation initiated by the Hatay Chief Public Prosecutor's Office Earthquake Investigation Bureau, the fourth hearing of the case was held at the Hatay 3rd Heavy Penal Court.
THEY ARE BEING TRIED WITH A REQUEST FOR 22 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS IN PRISON
During the hearing, the detained contractor of the residence, Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun, the detained official of the construction inspection company, Mehmet Haşim Eraslan, and the detained official of the construction inspection company, Bülent Sekiçoğlu, participated via SEGBİS, while the non-detained control officer, Önder Artun, and the project manager, İ.D., were present in person. The non-detained official of the construction inspection company, Ayhan Karan, also participated via SEGBİS. The defendants and their clients, who are being tried for causing the death and injury of multiple people through conscious negligence, made their defense in the hearing, which was also attended by citizens who lost their relatives in the Rönesans Residence.
"THE BUILDING COLLAPSED DUE TO THE MAGNITUDE OF THE EARTHQUAKE"
The detained contractor, Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun, who was caught at the airport while trying to flee to Montenegro, stated in his defense, "I express my condolences to those who died in our building. The columns and beams were not damaged in the collapse of the Rönesans. Experts conducted research and examination on the matter. Our building is sufficient in terms of materials; the reason for the collapse is different and this reason should be sought. The residence was thrown off its base and toppled. There is no structural or land issue. The reason for the building's collapse is the magnitude of the earthquake. We are 100% sure that we built our building in accordance with all rules and regulations. I believe that I have no fault or negligence. I request the removal of my detention." he said.
"I WASN'T FLEEING, I WAS GOING TO MY BROTHER'S SIDE"
Coşkun, who claims to have built the building to the highest standards, said, "As a company, we expanded abroad in 2017 after completing high-level projects in Hatay. We gained a reputation in the industry for the quality of our work. After expanding abroad, my father-in-law had health issues, and I couldn't go to Montenegro for a long time because I was going back and forth to the hospital. After the earthquake, my wife's family returned to Germany, and my wife's siblings went to Ankara, so I decided to go to Montenegro to my brother's side because I had no place to stay. My ticket was for February 9; I postponed it by 2 days. I did not flee from anything." he stated.
THE HEARING WAS ADJOURNED
The court panel decided to continue the order for the capture of the fugitive brother of contractor Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun, Hüseyin Yalçın Coşkun, and adjourned the hearing to April 22 to wait for the expert report from Isparta University.