In the February 6 earthquakes centered in Kahramanmaraş, 9 people lost their lives and 4 people were injured as a result of the collapse of an apartment building in Alitaşı District of Adıyaman's Central district.
Adıyaman Chief Public Prosecutor's Office filed a lawsuit against the building owner Abuzer Yapıcı and reinforced concrete project designer and technical supervisor Mahmut Nedim Karakaş for "causing death and injury through conscious negligence".
43 months after the earthquake, the first hearing was held at Adıyaman 2nd High Criminal Court. Those who lost their relatives in the earthquake and their lawyers attended the hearing, but the defendants did not attend.
The President of the Court stated that the defense of the defendant Mahmut Nedim Karakaş was taken by order.
"DUE TO THIS PAIN, MY FATHER DIED BEFORE SEEING THE HEARING"
İlker Ümit Uyğul, who lost his mother, aunt and three cousins in the wreckage and was injured, reminded that although 3.5 years had passed since the earthquake, the first hearing had just been held and said:
"I do not want the defendants to walk around freely. At the same time, during this process, my father passed away before he could see the hearing due to this pain. I also want his rights to be protected. I want everyone, including the municipality, AFAD, the Directorate of Environment and Urbanization, to be tried."
"THE DEFENDANTS SHOULD BE ARRESTED" DEMAND FROM THE VICTIM FAMILIES
Mahbup Hanım Çakır, who lost her two daughters and four grandchildren in the building, and Sedat Yaşar, who lost his mother and three siblings, also wanted the defendants to receive the heaviest punishment.
Mehmet Erol Uyğul, who lost his two siblings, mother, aunt and two cousins, also claimed that "poor quality materials were used in the building and illegal floors were built" and demanded the arrest of the defendants.
"THIS IS EXACTLY THE PERCEPTION OF IMPUNITY"
Erhan Ülgül, one of the complainant's lawyers, argued that many buildings in the neighborhood where the building is located resisted the earthquake without collapsing, that the building collapsed in 10 seconds because it was built with poor quality materials, that the trial had just begun, and that the defendants "acted knowingly, out of greed for money and greed for profit" and asked them to be punished. Ülgül said:
"As seen in the previous Marmara and Van earthquakes, those responsible walked around freely with the perception of impunity and continued their lives without ever going to prison within the scope of the subsequent legal regulations. In the regulation issued in the 11th Judicial Package, earthquake defendants were excluded from the execution regulation due to the pressure of the families of the earthquake victims, and considering the appeal and Supreme Court phase, the legal changes that may occur in a trial that may last 7-8 years will mean that these people can continue their lives without ever disrupting their comfort zone without ever going to prison. Here "This is exactly the perception of impunity. Therefore, we demand that these individuals and others who may be responsible be detained and tried."
"TRIAL ME FOR THE CRIME OF 'POSSIBLE INTENTION'"
Another complainant's lawyer, Furkan Eskici, stated in his statement that the expert's supplementary report identified many technical deficiencies in the building, such as unribbed reinforcement, lack of tightening of stirrups, lack of use of crossties and use of river sand, and that a "primary defect" was attributed to the defendants.
Arguing that the third and fourth floors of the building were built illegally and created an additional burden, Eskici demanded that the defendants be punished to the fullest extent and arrested due to "possible intent".
OVERSEAS PROHIBITION AND SIGNATURE REQUIREMENT FOR THE DEFENDANTS
The court panel rejected the defendants' requests for arrest on the grounds that "the time has passed since the incident, the arrest is a precautionary measure, and the current result can be implemented through judicial control."
The committee decided to ban the defendants from traveling abroad and impose an obligation to sign at the police station, and to bring the defendant Abuzer Yapıcı by force, and postponed the hearing to 4 November.
