07.02.2025 10:33
Fourteen years ago in Bursa, after the tragic death of sisters Gizem Beray and İrem Sıla Yüksel due to gas poisoning from a leaking water heater, the family of the young girls initiated a legal battle. As the family prepared to seek material and moral compensation in the case, the enforcement court's decision to impose double the debt on the grounds of "you made a request contrary to the ruling" devastated the family for the second time.
The sad story of Gizem Beray Yüksel began with a video shot in 2010 in the Orhangazi district of Bursa. Gizem's pure and heartfelt words quickly became the focus of Turkey's agenda. The tragic passing of two siblings deeply affected the entire country. Turkey got to know Gizem Beray Yüksel through a video shot by her teacher at Atatürk Primary School in Orhangazi, Bursa, where she studied in 2011.
"MY DAD IS NOT RICH, SO..." In the video shot by her teacher in the classroom, she told her friends, "You have no mercy; my shoes are torn because my dad is not rich," and after this video spread rapidly on the internet, Gizem appeared on many television programs, including the Beyaz Show, captivating everyone with her charming personality and mature statements for her age.
THEY HAD GUESTED ON BEYAZ SHOW Gizem Beray Yüksel, one of the six children of the Yüksel family, appeared on the 'Beyaz Show' after her teacher published the video online. In the program, Gizem captivated the audience with her intelligence and quick wit, making everyone burst into laughter. The little Gizem, who complained to the Bursa Governor for not allowing her teacher to participate in the television program, said live on air, "I spit on your mold," and later apologized to the then-Governor Şahabettin Harput, saying it slipped out of my mouth, Governor.
POISONED BY THE WATER HEATER WITH HER SISTER A YEAR LATER Gizem Beray, after her video spread rapidly on the internet and she became known throughout Turkey, tragically passed away on November 28, 2011, in the bathroom of their home in Orhangazi, Bursa, due to gas poisoning from a water heater along with her 12-year-old sister İrem Sıla Yüksel. This horrific incident left the entire country in mourning after the two little sisters lost their lives.
LEGAL BATTLE FROM THE FAMILY Following the incident, father Salih Yüksel filed a lawsuit against the water heater company for material and moral damages. In the ongoing legal battle against the water heater company for 14 years, the Istanbul 7th Commercial Court ruled that the Yüksel family should be compensated for material and moral damages. This decision has been upheld by the Supreme Court six times. While the Yüksel family sought to collect the material and moral compensation awarded by the court, they were shocked by the decision of the Bakırköy 5th Enforcement Court, which declared them debtors.
The father of the sisters, Gizem and İrem Sıla Yüksel, Salih Yüksel, expressed his surprise at the decision made by the Bakırköy 5th Enforcement Court while waiting to receive the compensation awarded by the court. Yüksel stated, "In our 14-year legal battle, I believe our case has not been fairly judged, it has been sent to an expert seven times, and to the Supreme Court six times. Despite the Supreme Court's ruling on June 15, 2024, rejecting all objections from the water heater company, I cannot understand why a new case was opened in the Bakırköy 5th Enforcement Court," he said.
"WHAT KIND OF TRIAL, WHAT KIND OF LAW?" Emphasizing that there cannot be a decision on top of the Supreme Court's ruling, Salih Yüksel said, "What kind of justice, what kind of trial, what kind of law is this? I still cannot comprehend it." He pointed out that the Bakırköy 5th Enforcement Court put them in a debtor position by claiming, "You made a request contrary to the ruling," and added, "I expect a reversal of this mistake. The cars that my children bought by saving from their teeth and nails have also been seized. I request our Ministry of Justice to pay attention to this issue," he said.