78 people, including 36 children, died in the fire that broke out at the Grand Kartal Hotel on January 21, 2025. Under the leadership of the Kartalkaya Family Platform, established by the families of those who lost their lives in the fire, those who lost their relatives came together to make a press statement in front of the hotel where the disaster occurred.
There were emotional moments before and during the announcement, families who lost their relatives could not hold back their tears. New Party Şanlıurfa Deputy Mahmut Tanal, Turkish Bar Association President Lawyer Erinç Sağkan and families who lost their relatives in the fire attended the press release. There was reaction to the fact that no lawsuit has yet been filed against the public officials who are said to be responsible for the fire.
'IF YOU WANT TO SEE OUR PAIN, LOOK INTO OUR EYES'
Hilmi Altın, who lost his wife and daughter in the fire, said in his statement in front of the hotel, "November 6, 2026 is for you. Not for us. For us, it is still January 21, 2025. The fire in our hearts burns like the first day. I am Hilmi Altın, who got out of this hotel by chance, and I left my wife and daughter here. The people who caused this are known. Shame on those who had to bring me and all my family here with this pain. We are walking these roads side by side. If you want to see our pain, look into our eyes." Since the first day, we have been crying for justice. We are on the roads, we are at the doors of the Council of State, we are after the Supreme Court. We say, "Who has the right to drag us here, the families of 78 people?" May God bless those brave judges. But that case is not over at the Supreme Court. "We are followers," he said.
MAHMUT TANAL: IT SHOULD BE OPENED AS A MUSEUM OF HUMANITY
New Party Şanlıurfa Deputy Mahmut Tanal stated that the hotel should be opened to the public as a museum of humanity and said, "This place is a place of shame. And this place should be opened to the public as a museum of humanity as soon as possible. As a museum of humanity. Whatever the families agree to be written, they can write down the memories of every deceased person, every soul here, their favorite words and whatever they want, so that the people who come here can at least see those memories and that other mothers, fathers and families will not burn or cry again and that the public will not be able to burn or cry again." "This place should be built and established as a museum of humanity to remind the officials of their responsibilities," he said.
ERİNÇ SAĞKAN: IT IS FOUNDATIONLY SHAKING CONFIDENCE IN JUSTICE
Lawyer Erinç Sağkan, President of the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, stated that they support the families' struggle for justice and said, "We all need to put ourselves in the shoes of these families. Be sure that it is not easy for them to come here today. They are here not to experience their pain, but so that their screams for justice can be heard. The burden of not listening to this cry for justice and turning our backs would be great. Because these families are fighting for justice not only for their own children and relatives, but also to prevent such disasters from happening again in the future. Bolu "We see and know that the 1st High Criminal Court's decision regarding the hotel operator, its managers and the relevant local government officials is extremely positive. However, the resistance shown by the relevant institutions, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security in terms of public officials, further deepens the wounds of these families. The fact that no public case has been filed against the relevant officials and the fact that these officials are still in charge of the same duties fundamentally shakes the trust in justice."
GULTEKIN, WHO LOST 8 RELATIVES: THE PROSECUTION OFFICE WILL NOT MOVE UNLESS YOU GIVE INSTRUCTIONS
Lawyer Yüksel Gültekin, who lost 8 of his relatives in the fire, did not go to the area where the hotel was located because he was worried that his pain would increase, and made a statement to journalists in front of the Bolu Courthouse. Gültekin claimed that no work had been done on the file for approximately 6 months. Gültekin said, "The prosecutor of the file has not done any work on this file for 6 months. We walked for the last 3 months, shouted in Ulus Square, made a silent protest, begged the Minister of Justice. Look, it is an empty file. How long will they hold them? How long will they be able to hold them? I do not think it will take very long. I would like to call out to the Minister of Justice from here again. Please, Mr. Minister, the Bolu Public Prosecutor's Office, which we are in front of, keeps the file in front of it unless you give instructions. "Who needs to give instructions so that justice can be served? Our struggle will continue. We will not forget our children. Please stand with us until we are held accountable for these unlawful acts and unconscionable acts that caused 78 of our martyred children to be burned alive in the 6th largest fire in history."
