(Newsworthy.news) – Nearly a year after a tragic earthquake in Arab nations, a trial has begun to determine whether individuals involved in construction and building maintenance hold responsibility for the collapse of a hotel which killed almost a hundred people.
In February 2023, a massive earthquake—followed by many aftershocks, some almost as intense as the first—struck in Turkey, near the Syrian border, killing over 50,000 people in both nations. One hotel in Adiyaman, Turkey collapsed, accounting for 72 deaths. The building was holding a volleyball team from a school in Cyprus (a Mediterranean island controlled by Turkey) as well as a group of tourist guides.
Following the earthquake, 11 individuals were charged with violations of construction and building safety guidelines. Almost a year after the tragedy, the first criminal trial has finally begun. The hearing will take place in Adiyaman and consider whether the defendants are guilty of “conscious negligence” during their work constructing the Isias hotel.
The owner of the hotel is one of five who have been both arrested and charged, each facing more than two decades in prison if found guilty. During the building’s collapse, 24 children from the Famagusta Turkish Education College as well as their accompanying chaperones and parents were killed. Prosecutors in the case argue that the tragedy may not have taken place if the hotel met safety standards.
At least 40 more guests at the seven-story Isias Grand hotel were also victims, who were staying at the location for training to be tourist guides. Only four parents of the school children survived the building’s collapse.
According to the indictment, the hotel—which opened in 2001—had mixed gravel and sand with additional materials to build the supporting columns. A project of putting additional floors into the building in 2016 was done without requisite permits.
If found guilty, each of the 11 defendants in the case could be sentenced to prison for any amount of time between two years and eight months to over 22 years.
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