19.07.2024 18:40
The trial hearing regarding Furkan Apartment, which collapsed in Nizip district of Gaziantep and claimed the lives of 51 people due to the earthquakes that occurred in Kahramanmaraş on February 6, 2023, was held. The court sentenced engineer Yılmaz Şahin Yurtyapan to 16 years and 8 months in prison, while the other defendants were acquitted. After the verdict, the victim families had a nervous breakdown in front of the court, stating, "They bought justice with money."
The trial hearing regarding the Furkan Apartment in Nizip district of Gaziantep, which collapsed in earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş and caused the death of 51 people, was held. The court sentenced engineer Yılmaz Şahin Yurtyapan to 16 years and 8 months in prison, while the other defendants Faik and Eyüp Öğüt and Nejdet Alpay were acquitted due to lack of evidence. The files of the fugitive defendants Abdullah Devrim Sever and his brother Hasan Hüseyin Sever were separated. The relatives of the deceased citizens, who rebelled against the verdict, expressed intense reactions outside the court.
Furkan Apartment, located on Mustafa Kökmen Boulevard in Nizip district of Gaziantep, also collapsed in earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş. While 51 people lost their lives under the debris of the collapsed building, many others were injured. The trial hearing regarding Furkan Apartment, which became a grave for 51 people, was held at Nizip Heavy Penal Court. Eyüp Öğüt, one of the defendants released pending trial, defendant lawyers, relatives of the deceased, and plaintiff lawyers also attended the hearing.
PROSECUTOR REITERATED HIS OPINION ON THE PUNISHMENT OF 3 DEFENDANTS
Eyüp Öğüt, one of the defendants released pending trial, said, "I did not cut any columns. I did not make any renovations in the building. I do not have a 1+1 apartment." The prosecutor stated that he reiterated his opinion on the punishment of 3 defendants, which he gave in the previous session. The prosecutor, speaking about responsible public officials, stated that the claims that no investigation was conducted regarding public officials were not true, that investigation permission was granted, and they objected to these permissions, but the process is still ongoing.
FAMILIES DEMANDED THE HEAVIEST PUNISHMENT
The relatives of the 51 deceased people who spoke at the trial stated that there are 40 thousand houses in Nizip and that there was conscious negligence only in the collapse of Furkan Apartment, and demanded that the defendants receive the heaviest punishment. Abdulkadir Özkılıç, a 12-year-old boy rescued from Furkan Apartment 28 hours after the earthquake, said, "I want the heaviest punishment for all the criminals. I had dreams for tomorrow. All our neighbors died. I want the criminals to receive the heaviest punishment." The relatives of the victims shed tears during the trial.
ENGINEER SENTENCED TO 16 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS, OTHER DEFENDANTS ACQUITTED
The court announced its decision after the break for deliberation. The panel sentenced Furkan Apartment engineer Yılmaz Şahin Yurtyapan to 20 years in prison for the crime of "causing the death and injury of multiple people through conscious negligence". The sentence was reduced to 16 years and 8 months with a discount, and it was decided to ban the defendant from practicing his profession for 3 years. The court acquitted the other defendants Faik and his brother Eyüp Öğüt and Nejdet Alpay due to lack of evidence, and ruled that the files of the fugitive defendants Hasan Hüseyin Sever and Abdullah Devrim Sever be separated. The court also decided to file a criminal complaint with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office to find those responsible for the cut column.
CHAOS IN FRONT OF THE COURT AFTER THE ACQUITTAL VERDICT
The relatives of the 51 earthquake martyrs, who reacted to the verdict, caused chaos after the court. The families, who criticized the verdict as too lenient and the fact that only one defendant was sentenced, expressed intense reactions to the court. Seçkin Şahin, who lost his 19-year-old son in the building, said, "I lost my son in this building. Despite all the reports, it is clear that the building collapsed due to the cutting of the columns, but the court acquitted the 3 individuals who cut the columns. We do not accept this, we will never give up on this case. We will not give up until these individuals are arrested." Lawyer Ergin Sezen stated that sentencing only one person is unacceptable and said that they will make all necessary objections and will not give up on the case.