The Kahramanmaraş 4th High Criminal Court has sentenced two individuals, Sami Kervancıoğlu and Mustafa Pekel, to eight years in prison following the collapse of the Ezgi apartment building during the February 2023 earthquakes. The disaster resulted in the deaths of 35 people, including an infant. Prosecutors had initially requested sentences exceeding 876 years for each defendant, arguing that unauthorized renovations conducted on the ground floor pastry shop compromised the structural integrity of the building. Despite the severity of the charges regarding conscious negligence, both men have been granted conditional release. The legal proceedings highlighted concerns over structural modifications made to residential properties in the region, which suffered extensive damage during the powerful seismic events that struck southern Turkey.
Source : Turkish Minute
Photo : Turkish Minute
