Tragedy Strikes Beşiktaş Nightclub: 29 Deaths and Lawsuit Against 13 Defendants
A lawsuit has been filed against 13 defendants, including deputy mayors of the Beşiktaş Municipality, public officials, and firefighters, related to a tragic fire that occurred during renovations at a nightclub in Beşiktaş, leading to the deaths of 29 individuals. The lawsuit seeks a prison sentence of up to 17 years for each defendant.
According to the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, an investigation was conducted against a total of 13 defendants, including former Beşiktaş Deputy Mayors Ahmet Koray Bayraktaroğlu, Ahmet Mithat Şermet, Yasemin Saral, and Ali Rıza Yılmaz, as well as other public officials and firefighters from the municipality.
The indictment states that a permit for a “discotheque” was granted by the Beşiktaş District Governorship and Municipality in 1987 for the location where the tragic fire occurred. It also highlights the discrepancies in reports from the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Fire Department in 2006, where one report stated that there was no workplace at the given address, while another report claimed the protective measures against fire were sufficient.
Furthermore, the indictment points out that licenses for different activities were issued by the Beşiktaş Municipality Licensing and Inspection Directorate without proper inspections before and after the licenses were granted. Despite complaints and discrepancies in reports, the defendants allegedly failed to take appropriate action, leading to the tragic incident in 2018.
The defendants, including the deputy mayors and public officials, have denied any wrongdoing in their statements and claimed they were not aware of the lapses in the licensing process. The court will now decide on the sentences for the defendants, with charges ranging from abuse of office to causing the death of more than one person through negligence.
The Istanbul 33rd High Criminal Court has decided to combine this case with another case involving business owners, where they are facing charges for causing death or injury through conscious negligence. The court will continue to review the evidence and testimonies to determine the outcome of the trial.
