Families protest against acquittal in trial over fatal building collapse during February 6 earthquake

Wall English

On August 25, families of earthquake victims began a vigil for justice after three defendants were acquitted in the Furkan Apartment case, a February 6 earthquake that killed 51 people with its epicenter in the southeastern Turkish province of Maraş.

Seçkin Şahin, who lost his son, said: “We cannot accept the acquittal of three defendants at a place where it was clearly established that pillars were cut. We demand the arrest of the fugitive construction contractors responsible for the deaths of 51 people.”

The Furkan Apartment was the only building in Antep's Nizip district to collapse and cause casualties in the February 6 earthquakes. 51 people died in the building's rubble and pillars were confirmed to have been severed.

On July 19, the Nizip Heavy Criminal Court acquitted the defendants Faik Öğüt, Eyüp Öğüt and Nejdet Alpay, but sentenced the construction manager Yılmaz Şahin Yurtyapan to 16 years and eight months in prison.

The cases of the fugitive defendants Abdullah Devrim Sever and Hasan Hüseyin Sever were separated. The court's detailed decision has not yet been published.

Relatives of those who died in the Furkan Apartment began their vigil for justice at the site of the building's ruins and protested against the acquittal. They held banners with slogans such as “We do not accept the acquittal, we want justice,” “Columns were cut in this building, we want justice,” and “The murderers are free, where is the justice?”

Speaking to the ANKA news agency, Seçkin Şahin, who lost his 19-year-old son Emre in the collapse, said: “We cannot accept the acquittal of the defendants. We demand the arrest of the fugitive Sever brothers, who are responsible for the deaths of 51 people. We want justice.”