The first trial on the alleged structural deficiencies of buildings which led to the death of scores of people during the earthquakes in Turkey last February, commenced on Wednesday in Adiyaman, according to Turkish Cypriot media reports.
Facing trial are a hotel owner and ten other defendants implicated in the collapse of the four-star Grand Isias Hotel, which resulted in the deaths of 72 individuals, among them 26 children from Cyprus who were in Turkey for a school volleyball tournament.
Experts contend that the hotel building exhibited significant construction defects.
Parents of the victims made the trip to Adiyaman for the trial, displaying signs adorned with pictures of their deceased children outside the court.
Public prosecutors have accused the defendants of deliberately causing death by negligence, with a potential two-decade prison sentence if convicted. Five of them, including the hotel owner, are currently in custody, participating in the trial via video link on its first day.
Simultaneously, a separate investigation is underway to ascertain whether state authorities responsible for issuing permits bear any responsibility.
The earthquake, which struck southeastern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6 with magnitudes of 7.7 and 7.6, respectively, resulted in approximately 50,800 casualties in Turkey alone, according to government figures.
The owner of the collapsed Grand Isias Hotel, Ahmet Bozkurt, denies all allegations regarding the building’s quality. During his testimony at the Adiyaman Courthouse, Bozkurt claimed to have obtained municipal permission for the commercial residence in 1992, adhering to regulations for the earthquake-prone region.
He rejected accusations of illegal construction and attributed the hotel’s collapse to the seismic intensity, citing a Japanese scientist’s assessment of a magnitude 10 earthquake.
Contrary to Bozkurt’s assertions, a structural report highlighted the use of inappropriate materials and the removal of key support pillars during construction. The report also indicated that the foundations were designed for a four-storey building, while the hotel had ten storeys.
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