Verdict reached in Ayşe-Mehmet Polat Site case: 134 victims buried in earthquake
The Ayşe-Mehmet Polat Site Tragedy: Justice Served for the 134 Victims
After a long legal battle, a decision has been reached in the case of the Ayşe-Mehmet Polat Site, where 134 people tragically lost their lives in the earthquakes that struck Gaziantep. The defendant Mehmet Ertan Akay, who was in detention, and the defendant Altan Bayhan, who was not detained, appeared in court for the hearing.
Mehmet Ertan Akay, connected to the hearing from prison, maintained his innocence, claiming that the residents of the building had initiated strengthening work. He boldly stated, “I think I am innocent. I demand my release and acquittal.” Altan Bayhan, also appearing via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS), reiterated his defense and requested his acquittal.
However, the court found Akay, the contractor and technical representative of the building, guilty of “causing the death of more than one person through conscious negligence” and sentenced him to 21 years and 9 months in prison. Bayhan, the architect of the architectural project, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for “causing death by negligence”.
The presiding judge noted that the lawyers had submitted their defense petitions, and the families of the victims demanded the most severe punishment for the defendants. The verdict serves as a bittersweet moment for the families who lost their loved ones in this tragic event, finally seeing justice being served.
