"Why Don’t They Bring The People Responsible, I Want To Address Them Face To Face”

The first trial of the case regarding the workplace murder in Manisa province’s Soma district which resulted in the death of 301 miners will take place in Akhisar High Criminal Court on April 13.

The testimonies of the 8 defendants jailed at İzmir Aliağa Şakran Prison will be heard through the Sound and Image Informatics System (SEGBİS).

Those who lost their loved ones at Soma resent this decision.

The Çalış family who lost their 18-year-old son at the mine is feels this way.

Is the government now thinking of 8 people’s lives?

Father Şenol Çalış employed in a different shift at the same mine says, “the government didn’t think of the life safety of those 301 workers, and now it’s thinking of 8 people’s lives?”

“Whoever is responsible for this mine, for the death of the workers, they should all receive a sentence. The government executives as well. But I don’t believe they could. Why would I? 301 workers died, but they’re thinking about how to save the people who went to jail for it. If there is such a thing as human rights, and we are thinking of the lives of these 8 people, why did the lives of the dead workers not matter?”

They see their children, if only through metal bars

Mother Perihan Çalış says: “At least they see their children through metal bars. What about us?”

“I am looking forward to the trial. But I heard they’re not going to bring them. Why won’t they, I want to address them face-to-face. Whoever is responsible should suffer the way I suffer. Whoever is responsible should receive a penalty, whether it is this person or that person, I don’t know. I just know they should [be punished].”

47-year-old Şenol Çalış is one of the 2831 workers dismissed from Soma Coal Inc. with a letter. He gets by on unemployment pay, which will end in June. At a time where mineworkers can’t find jobs, he says he would be hard pressed to get one at 47. 

45 defendants, 8 of them jailed

The bill of indictment about the workplace murder that took place in Soma on 13 May 2014 at the Eynez mine demanded a case be filed against 8 jailed defendants and 37 defendants without arrest, making 45 in total. 162 injured workers were included as the plaintiffs.

Jailed Soma Inc. owner Can Gürkan, shift supervisors Yasin Kurnaz, Hilmi Kazık, İsmail Adalı, General Manager Ramazan Doğru, technical supervisor Ertan Ersoy, Business Manager Akın Çelik and mine technician Mehmet Ali Günay Çelik were stated in the 230-page bill of indictment to have committed the crime of “murdering and injuring people with potential intent” included in article 81 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK).

The remaining defendants without arrest have been charged with TCK 85/2, that is from “murder through conscious negligence”.

The plaintiffs asked for 20 to 25 years served 301 times, plus 2 to 6 years in prison served 162 times for the eight jailed suspects, and 2 to 15 year prison sentences for the 37 suspects without arrest.

As will be remembered, Labor and Social Security Minister Faruk Çelik had not allowed for investigations against the 2 inspectors and public officials who had inspected the mine in Soma where 301 workers lost their lives, and given a positive report. (NV/PU/KU)

Click here to read this article in Turkish.