Sakarya fireworks factory explosion: Two factory owners sentenced to 16 years in prison

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The court has issued its verdict in the case concerning an explosion in a fireworks factory in Sakarya, northwestern Turkey.

Eight defendants, including two on remand, Yaşar Coşkun ve Hasan Ali Velioğlu, were present in the courtroom at the Sakarya 1st Heavy Penal Court.

"We didn't kill anyone"

Making his defense, the owner of the factory, Yaşar Coşkun, who was on remand, said, "Nobody could silence us and nobody will be able to silence us."

"We didn't kill anyone. We are not terrorists. We are a place that provides jobs to 200 people. This is said to be an 'occupational homicide.' The concept of 'occupational homicide' does not exist in the law. This is a workplace accident.

"They are trying to influence the court with accusations like we have established an organization. It is said that we disregarded workers' rights. We are not unscrupulous," he said.

Coşkun added, "Since the beginning, we have been saying that this case is not a political case. This is not the Gezi case. It has nothing to do with the AKP [the ruling Justice and Development Party]

After the statements of defendants and their attorneys, the court issued a break before handing down its judgment.

The court sentenced two of the owners of the factory, Yaşar Coşkun and Ali Rıza Ergenç Coşkun, to 16 years and 3 months in prison for "causing the death and injury of more than one person by conscious negligence."

Hasan Ali Velioğlu was sentenced to 12 years and 6 months and Erşan Öztürk, Asiye Angın, Aslı Bozkurt and Ahmet Çağrıcı were sentenced to 6 years and 8 months in prison.

Considering the time he spent on remand, the court ruled for the release of Velioğlu while Coşkun will continue to stay on remand.

Loved ones of the people killed and injured in the explosion and their attorneys had requested a verdict based on conscious negligence.

What happened?

An explosion occurred at the Coşkunlar Firework Factory, which was located on a 15-decare land in Sakarya's Hendek, on July 3, 2020. While the blast was felt in the neighboring provinces as well, seven workers lost their lives and 128 people were wounded in the incident.

As part of the investigation into the explosion, five people, including the owners of the factory, were arrested. The summary of proceedings prepared by the Hendek Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which carried out the investigation into the blast, was sent to the Sakarya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The Sakarya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office issued a 27-page indictment against the seven suspects, including the owners of the firework company where the blast occurred.

The indictment demanded that the defendants be sentenced to 2 years, 8 months to 22 years, 6 months each on charge of "causing the death or injury of more than one person by gross negligence".

Of the ones arrested pending trial, occupational safety specialist Aslı Bozkurt was released on probation at the second hearing.

Managing director Asiye Angın and headworker Ersan Öztürk, who had also been released following the third hearing, were arrested upon the appeals of the Sakarya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and some complainants; however, upon the appeals of the related defendants and their lawyers, they were released from prison again. (HA/VK)