31.01.2025 18:00
In the case of the Selim Köse Apartment, which collapsed during the earthquakes in Hatay on February 6, claiming the lives of 43 people, the contractor stated, "If I have committed a crime, I am ready to serve my sentence. If I am guilty, give me the harshest punishment. I had said it back then as well, my blood is halal for those who died in the apartment." The court rejected the requests for the defendants' arrest and postponed the case.
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In the Odabaşı neighborhood of Hatay, the Selim Köse Apartment collapsed during the earthquakes on February 6, 2023, claiming the lives of 43 people. The contractor of the building, Hasan Köse, site manager Mehmet Ezer (46), and inspectors Eysem Ezer (42) and Gülseren Altundağ Tatlı (34) have been charged with "causing the death and injury of multiple people through conscious negligence," facing a request for 22 years and 6 months in prison.
FOUND PRIMARILY AT FAULT
The four defendants, who were stated to have been "primarily at fault" in the deaths of 43 people due to their insufficient compliance with the regulations regarding buildings to be constructed in earthquake zones during the design, construction, and completion phases, appeared before the 1st Heavy Penal Court. The hearing was attended by the defendants Hasan Köse, Mehmet Ezer, inspectors Eysem Ezer and Gülseren Altundağ Tatlı, as well as the lawyers of the parties and relatives of the deceased.
"MY BLOOD IS HALAL FOR THE DECEASED IN THE APARTMENT"
During the hearing, the relatives of those who died in the building expressed their complaints and requested the arrest of all four defendants. Contractor Hasan Köse claimed that he had no responsibility or fault in the collapse of the apartment, stating, "If I have a crime, I am ready to serve my sentence. If I have a crime, give me the harshest punishment. I said it then, my blood is halal for the deceased in the apartment."
TRIAL POSTPONED
The other three defendants also denied the accusations, requesting the rejection of the arrest requests and stating that they wanted to be tried without detention. After the defenses, the prosecutor requested the arrest of the defendants in an interim opinion. At the end of the hearing, the court panel rejected the requests for the defendants' arrest and decided to apply the judicial control provisions as they are, postponing the trial.
"THE DEFENDANTS HAVE NOT BEEN DETAINED EVEN FOR A DAY"
At the end of the hearing, one of the lawyers for the case, Seda Mutaf, stated that the arrest of the four defendants was necessary, saying, "We requested the arrest based on legal issues identified through our own findings and legal opinions, but at the end of the day, we are going home without an arrest decision for these defendants. Next week marks the second anniversary of the February 6 earthquake, and these defendants have not been detained even for a day. I believe that these defendants should be urgently arrested regarding the collapse of the Selim Köse Apartment, which caused the death of 43 lives."
"THERE IS A SERIOUS POLICY OF IMPUNITY"
Manisa Bar Association President Lawyer Sevgi Başak Yeşil Malay stated that there is a policy of impunity in Turkey, saying, "In our country, there is a serious irresponsibility and a serious policy of impunity for both private and public real and legal persons. As lawyers, we are constantly opposing this at every stage by following the cases with resilient objections. If those responsible for the 1999 earthquakes had been tried and punished fairly, and regulations had been made accordingly, we would not have to be here today," she said.
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