The eviction decision in the Ezgi Apartment case also drew sharp criticism from citizens who lost their relatives in other buildings during the February 6 earthquakes.
Earthquake victims who lost their families in the rubble in Hatay supported Nurgül Göksu, who lost her children and grandchildren, stating, “A punishment was handed down like a reward; justice remains buried under the rubble.” The earthquake victims shared the message, “We will not remain silent until accountability is demanded for the 35 lives lost.”
Lawyer Eren Can, who lost his mother and father in the Rana Apartment in Hatay, said, “In the Ezgi Apartment case, the defendants were given a punishment akin to a reward. Defendants who were fugitives for 700 days, cut structural columns, and are responsible for the deaths of 35 people have been released. This decision is unacceptable. The cries of our sister Nurgül burn us all. It burns those of us who have experienced the same pain. This is not justice; justice is buried under the rubble. We stand by our sister Nurgül. Accountability will be demanded for the February 6 earthquakes, and our struggle for justice will continue.”
“THE FAMILIES OF EZGI APARTMENT ARE NOT ALONE”
Selin Sümbültepe, who lost her mother and father in the MCG Tower in Iskenderun, stated, “As someone who lost her family and loved ones in the February 6 earthquake, I am speaking today for Ezgi Apartment: 35 people died, it was determined that columns were cut, and yet an eviction decision is being issued. Do you expect families to silently accept these decisions, this impunity? Should we bury our sense of justice too? Do the screams of those left behind not stir your conscience at all? You cannot simply say ‘the earthquake killed them’ and move on. We will not forget the conditions that brought these buildings to this state, nor the responsible parties, nor the decisions made. The families of Ezgi Apartment are not alone. We will not remain silent until true accountability is demanded for the 35 lives lost.”
“NURGÜL’S CHILDREN DID NOT DIE, THEY WERE KILLED”
Yiğit Torun, who lost his mother and father in the Cemil Apartment in Hatay, also noted the following:
“In the Ezgi Apartment case, the defendants who cut the columns were released. Despite the prosecutor requesting ‘possible intent,’ the defendants were released after the trial. Our sister Nurgül was forced to collect her children in garbage bags; have some conscience. When we speak of ‘possible intent,’ you are even incapable of arresting the defendants. Enough already. How is a child raised? To bury a child, to witness their death due to negligence... What does this mean? On February 6, these people did not die; they were killed directly due to negligence.
My mother Berna Torun and my father Kemal Torun... None of our loved ones died on February 6; on the contrary, they were killed due to negligence. Nurgül’s children did not die; they were killed. Despite this, those defendants were released. Forget about possible intent; the defendants are not even detained. In our eyes, anyone responsible for this negligence is a murderer, and we will continue to demand accountability for this.”
Enough is enough. Do our lives not matter at all? Will the lives of those who will suffer in future disasters not matter at all? As long as we do not speak out against this today, as long as punishments are not handed out here... Even if our loved ones have died, people will continue to die, and those murderers will continue to walk around outside with brazen impunity. How can anyone’s conscience allow this? Our consciences do not permit it."
"WE WILL NEVER GIVE UP"
