Antakya court sentences two men for fatal worker container fire

A court in the Antakya district of Hatay has sentenced two defendants, Mehmet Kırnaz and Bilal Sanuk, to aggravated life imprisonment and 19 years in prison each for a fatal arson attack. The incident occurred on March 8, 2025, in the Emek neighborhood, where the defendants allegedly set fire to a container housing workers.

The fire resulted in the death of 19-year-old İbrahim Yaşar and left his cousin, Mehmet Ali Yaşar, seriously injured. During the trial at the Hatay 4th High Criminal Court, the defendants claimed they were under the influence of alcohol and drugs at the time and argued they had no intent to kill.

The court convicted the pair of premeditated murder by burning and attempted murder.