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Turkey earthquake-related criminal trials

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2026-09-26 08:02 UTC → 2026-09-29 15:29 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Legal proceedings in Turkey regarding building collapses during the February 6 earthquakes continue to evolve across several high-profile cases. In the Ezgi Apartment case in Kahramanmaraş, which caused 35 deaths, the court issued a reasoned verdict sentencing bakery operators Sami Kervancıoğlu and Mustafa Pekel to 8 years in prison for ‘conscious negligence.’ ~~The court stated there was no evidence the defendants acted with the mindset of ‘if it happens, it happens,’ thereby rejecting the prosecution’s push for ‘possible intent’ charges.~~ While technical supervisor Mehmet Tekin received 6 years and 8 months, other municipal officials and technical staff received sentences between 4 and 6 ~~years, and several individuals, including an interior designer and certain public officials, were acquitted.~~ years. The release of ~~Kervancıoğlu, Pekel, and Danacı~~ several defendants following their sentences has drawn criticism from victims' ~~families and legal associations.~~ families. Developments continue in the Rönesans Rezidans case in Hatay, where 269 people died. During an 11-hour hearing at the Hatay 3rd High Criminal Court, contractor Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun challenged an expert report, claiming it lacked scientific validity and was prepared using a ‘copy-paste’ method. While plaintiffs' lawyers requested that all defendants be charged with ‘possible intent’ based on a sixth expert report, the court rejected this request. The court ruled that the detention of the defendants should continue and postponed the next hearing to October 26 to address procedural deficiencies. In Malatya, the 1st High Criminal Court issued verdicts in the Madencioğlu Apartmanı case, where nine people died. Five defendants received prison sentences ranging from 8 years and 10 months to 11 years and 3 months. Expert reports noted the building had insufficient earthquake resistance, inadequate concrete strength, and an extra floor built in violation of static projects. Other ongoing matters include investigations into the Kırçuval Otel collapse in ~~Malatya, where prosecutors have requested the arrest of 11 defendants,~~ Malatya and the Serin-2 Apartment collapse in ~~Diyarbakır, where expert reports cited inadequate concrete quality and cut structural columns as factors in the deaths of 77 people.~~ Diyarbakır.

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