The contractor of the building that caused the death of 51 people: I am a TOKI employee, I want my evacuation.

The second hearing of the Cemil Çapar Apartment case, which collapsed in the earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş in Hatay, where 51 people lost their lives and there were missing people in the wreckage, was marked by the request of the contractor.

"I HAVE STATE TENDER WORKS TO DELIVER"

The second hearing of the apartment, which collapsed in the earthquakes on February 6, 2023, was held at Hatay 3rd Heavy Penal Court in Antakya. In the hearing, the detained defendants, the contractor of the apartment Mehmet Özkan and the defendant site manager, as well as the families who lost their relatives in the earthquake and their lawyers were present.

In the hearing, the defendant Mehmet Özkan, who made his defense with SEGBIS, requested his release by saying "I have state tender works and TOKI (Housing Development Administration of Turkey) job to deliver". The families of the victims who lost their loved ones said, "We had to watch our children burn and turn into ashes in the earthquake. We want the responsible parties to receive the harshest punishment." In addition, the families claimed that the columns of the market located under the apartment were cut.

The court decided to continue the detention of the defendant Mehmet Özkan and the site manager and adjourned the hearing to September 13, 2024.

"WHO ARE THE TOKIS BUILT FOR?"

Lawyer Seher Eriş, who evaluated the hearing, used the following statements: "Who are the TOKIs (Housing Development Administration of Turkey) built for after all this destruction and death?"

"The survivors from the Cemil Çapar Apartment, where 51 people lost their lives in the earthquakes on February 6 in Antakya, stated that the building collapsed in 8 seconds, a fire broke out after the collapse, and the fire could not be extinguished for days, and they couldn't even find many lifeless bodies. In the expert report, it was determined that the contractor was primarily at fault due to the inadequacy of material quality and reinforcement detailing during the construction of the building. In today's hearing, the detained defendant contractor Mehmet Özkan requested his release by stating that he had state tender works and TOKI job to deliver. The court decided to continue the detention. Who are the TOKIs built for after all this destruction and death?"

"THE LOSS OF LIVES SHOWED HOW IMPORTANT SAFETY IS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY"

In a statement made by the Justice Pursuing Families Platform, the following statements were included: "This incident once again shows the necessity of stricter supervision and quality control mechanisms in the selection of companies that will be involved in TOKI projects and similar large construction projects. The significant destruction and loss of lives emphasize how important safety and quality standards are in the construction industry. It is of great importance for justice to be served that the legal process is carried out meticulously."