A court imprisons hotel owner and architect in a landmark trial related to the earthquake

Adiyaman

A court in Adiyaman has issued its ruling in the Grand Isiyas Hotel case, one of the landmark trials stemming from the devastating 2023 earthquakes, sentencing six defendants, including the hotel owner and architect, to prison.

The hotel collapsed during the earthquakes on February 6, 2023, killing 72 people. The earthquakes, which swept through 11 southern provinces, killed more than 53,000 people.

Among those staying at the Grand Isias Hotel during the disaster were a Turkish Cypriot school volleyball team and several Turkish tour guides.

After hours of testimony, the Judiciary Committee met for an additional four hours of deliberations before issuing a ruling early on December 25.

As in previous hearings, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Unal Östell and several high-level officials attended the hearing in Adıyaman to observe the proceedings.

Hotel owner Ahmet Bozkurt was sentenced to 18 years and five months in prison for “causing death or injury to more than one person through willful negligence,” because he failed to ensure the building complied with earthquake regulations.

“I am not the architect who designed the building; I just own the land and run the business. He added: “I do not deny my role, but the allegations indicating that I worked as a contractor or forged documents are baseless,” rejecting these accusations.

He said: “If the earthquake had not been so severe, the hotel I was staying in would not have collapsed.”

His son, Mehmet Fatih Bozkurt, was sentenced to 17 years and four months in prison, and architect Erdem Yilmaz was sentenced to 18 years and five months in prison on the same charges.

The owner’s son confirmed his innocence, stressing: “I hold a passport without a visa. If I had intended to flee, it would have been easy. But I chose to stand trial because I am not guilty.”

Speaking to reporters after the session, the Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister stressed his dissatisfaction with the punishment imposed on the hotel owner, but acknowledged that “justice has been achieved” with the sentences issued against the rest.

“The hotel owners did not receive the punishment we expected. However, the judiciary has ensured that every individual involved in the construction of the hotel, from the architect to others in the chain, will face due accountability. This brings us partial solace,” he noted.

Ostell confirmed that Turkish Cyprus had closely monitored the trial since the first day, and expressed its confidence in the Turkish judiciary.

This issue may have reached a conclusion here, but for us, it is far from over. “Once the detailed merits of the ruling are issued, we will take the matter to the Court of Appeal and continue to seek justice as a nation.”

In the wake of the seismic disaster, which left thousands of buildings in ruins, the Turkish Ministry of Justice established a dedicated office to investigate crimes related to earthquake collapses.

Besides the Grand Isaias Hotel trial, another high-profile case involving a luxury apartment complex in Hatay, marketed as a “corner of paradise” that collapsed and killed 269 residents, has received significant attention both domestically and internationally.

In the Hatay case, the fate of 59 people, believed to have been inside their homes at the time of the early morning earthquake, remains unknown, and their bodies have not yet been recovered.

What Are The Main Benefits Of Comparing Car Insurance Quotes Online

LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / June 24, 2020, / Compare-autoinsurance.Org has launched a new blog post that presents the main benefits of comparing multiple car insurance quotes. For more info and free online quotes, please visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/the-advantages-of-comparing-prices-with-car-insurance-quotes-online/ The modern society has numerous technological advantages. One important advantage is the speed at which information is sent and received. With the help of the internet, the shopping habits of many persons have drastically changed. The car insurance industry hasn't remained untouched by these changes. On the internet, drivers can compare insurance prices and find out which sellers have the best offers. View photos The advantages of comparing online car insurance quotes are the following: Online quotes can be obtained from anywhere and at any time. Unlike physical insurance agencies, websites don't have a specific schedule and they are available at any time. Drivers that have busy working schedules, can compare quotes from anywhere and at any time, even at midnight. Multiple choices. Almost all insurance providers, no matter if they are well-known brands or just local insurers, have an online presence. Online quotes will allow policyholders the chance to discover multiple insurance companies and check their prices. Drivers are no longer required to get quotes from just a few known insurance companies. Also, local and regional insurers can provide lower insurance rates for the same services. Accurate insurance estimates. Online quotes can only be accurate if the customers provide accurate and real info about their car models and driving history. Lying about past driving incidents can make the price estimates to be lower, but when dealing with an insurance company lying to them is useless. Usually, insurance companies will do research about a potential customer before granting him coverage. Online quotes can be sorted easily. Although drivers are recommended to not choose a policy just based on its price, drivers can easily sort quotes by insurance price. Using brokerage websites will allow drivers to get quotes from multiple insurers, thus making the comparison faster and easier. For additional info, money-saving tips, and free car insurance quotes, visit https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ Compare-autoinsurance.Org is an online provider of life, home, health, and auto insurance quotes. This website is unique because it does not simply stick to one kind of insurance provider, but brings the clients the best deals from many different online insurance carriers. In this way, clients have access to offers from multiple carriers all in one place: this website. On this site, customers have access to quotes for insurance plans from various agencies, such as local or nationwide agencies, brand names insurance companies, etc. "Online quotes can easily help drivers obtain better car insurance deals. All they have to do is to complete an online form with accurate and real info, then compare prices", said Russell Rabichev, Marketing Director of Internet Marketing Company. CONTACT: Company Name: Internet Marketing CompanyPerson for contact Name: Gurgu CPhone Number: (818) 359-3898Email: [email protected]: https://compare-autoinsurance.Org/ SOURCE: Compare-autoinsurance.Org View source version on accesswire.Com:https://www.Accesswire.Com/595055/What-Are-The-Main-Benefits-Of-Comparing-Car-Insurance-Quotes-Online View photos