During the February 6 earthquakes in Kahramanmaraş, 35 people lost their lives, the youngest of whom was 6-month-old baby Asude, as a result of the collapse of Ezgi Apartment in Onikişubat district.
At the hearing held at Kahramanmaraş 4th High Criminal Court, those who lost their relatives in the earthquake, some defendants and party lawyers made statements. The public prosecutor repeated his opinion on the merits. The hearing lasted 15 hours.
8 YEARS IN JAIL FOR PASTRY OWNERS
Announcing its decision after the break, the court panel asked Sami Kervancıoğlu and Mustafa Pekel, the officials of the detained patisserie, about their last words. The defendants requested their release and acquittal.
The committee sentenced Kervancıoğlu and Pekel to 8 years in prison each for "causing the death and injury of more than one person through conscious negligence" and decided to release them with a judicial control order. Mehmet Tekin, who is technically responsible for the same crime, was sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in prison and 2 years of professional ban, with a good behavior reduction.
4 YEARS 5 MONTHS IMPRISONMENT SENTENCE TO 5 PUBLIC OFFICIALS
Kahramanmaraş Municipality officials of the time, former Director of Zoning Affairs Fahri Yiğitoğlu, architect Veli Çifaslan, Onikişubat Municipality Deputy Director of Zoning and Urbanization Sait Avşar, civil engineer Ali Gemci and construction technician Mehmet Akif Yaşam were sentenced to 4 years, 5 months and 10 days in prison with a good behavior reduction for "causing the death and injury of more than one person through conscious negligence".
The committee decided to acquit the patisserie's interior designer, Ertan Danacı, and the public officials of the period, architect Mehmet Dışçeken and mechanical engineer Mustafa Şirikçi.
"ASUDE WILL COMPLAIN YOU TO GOD"
Nurgül Göksu, who lost her son, daughter-in-law and grandchild in the earthquake, reacted to the decision with tears, saying, "Asude will complain about you to God," while the defendant's relatives applauded the decision.
"THEY RELEASED THOSE WHO CAUSED THE DEATH OF MY CHILDREN"
Making a statement in front of the Kahramanmaraş Courthouse, Nurgül Göksu said, "This country will provide justice for my children. Here I am the President, my Minister of Justice... They released those who cut the colon today. I dug with a digger in the rubble myself and found the column. Even though I found it myself, although the indictment was prepared with 'possible intent', although the opinion was presented with 'possible intent', those who caused the death of my children have been on the run for 703 days today." "They released Sami Kervancıoğlu and Mustafa Pekel, who were on holiday in a villa in Ankara," he said.
"YOU DID NOT SAVE MY CHILDREN, AT LEAST PROVIDE JUSTICE"
"My children are precious to me, everyone will know this," said Göksu and continued his speech as follows:
"I put three diamonds under that soil. I put those three diamonds in garbage bags. Were my children garbage, but I put them in garbage bags? I paid attention to everything I said and everything I wrote. They said everything to me in court, but I did not answer any of them. I do not accept this decision. This decision will be reversed. Sami Kervancıoğlu and Mustafa Pekel will be arrested again. I will do everything I can until they are arrested. I will do it. Do you know how I raised my child? I raised him with dignity. Do you know, Asude, 'Complain to God?' I will complain in this world too. You didn't save my children, at least get them justice. I do not accept this, ensure justice for my children. How do you release colonic cutters? I swear, I will buy a can of gasoline and set myself on fire. I swear, this decision will be reversed. I'll buy a can of gasoline and disgrace you to the world. I buy a can of gasoline and burn myself; Then you will see how justice is provided. "Give justice to my children, I don't want anything else."
"IT IS THE BLACKEST LEGAL DECISION IN THE LEGAL HISTORY OF THE REPUBLIC OF Türkiye"
Ahmet Çabukel, the lawyer of the victim families, said in his statement: "Today we experienced a great disgrace in Kahramanmaraş. Perhaps Kahramanmaraş experienced one of the biggest disgraces in the history of law. A group of people who cut the columns of the Ezgi Apartment, which was destroyed in the earthquake, cut the table, removed the walls under the building, put up stairs, enlarged the mezzanine, and built a kitchen underneath... A group of criminals was accused today in the file where 35 people died, 'consciously' "It took 6 years, 8 years for negligence. It has now gone down in history as a dark legal stain in the history of the Republic of Turkey," he said.
Lawyer Çabukel said that they will complain to the HSK about the judges who made the decision, they will object to the decision and 35 people will be held accountable.
"I DIED TODAY"
The apartment worker who emerged injured from the rubble of the apartment building said, "There is no justice or system. If you have money, if you are rich, you can get out. I am injured, I can hardly stand on my feet. I am responsible for 35 people. The colon was cut off in front of my eyes... I complained, 'Why are you doing this?' I said. They said 'Don't get involved' and threatened me. I was on duty there, they threatened me. Kervancıoğlu's employees threatened me; They threatened me by saying 'Don't get involved, you're the doorman'. And where is this justice? Is there justice, justice? "I died today," he said.
