The contractor of a collapsed apartment building that killed 96 people in the Feb 2023 earthquakes in Adana, southern Turkey, has been sentenced to aggravated life imprisonment.
Hasan Alpargün, who has been remanded in custody, attended today’s hearing at the Adana 12th Heavy Penal Court via videoconference. Lawyers and plaintiffs were present in the courtroom.
The prosecutor, repeating their final opinion, recommended that Alpargün be sentenced, considering all the evidence collected, and that his detention should continue.
In his defense, Alpargün claimed that the building was constructed in compliance with the regulations and the collapse occurred due to alterations made by property owners.
"I built the building in compliance with the laws. I did not use any deficient materials in construction. The building was constructed according to the 1975 Earthquake Regulations, and the project was flawless. I obtained the occupancy permit for the building. There was no damage to the building during the 1998 Ceyhan earthquake, proving its stability.
“Major renovations were carried out in the building later on, with physical interventions made to the load-bearing walls and columns. The earthquake’s acceleration force destroyed the building. After the event, I surrendered myself to the police. I have serious health issues, including cancer, and I underwent angioplasty. I am 73 years old and have been in detention for a long time. I request my release and acquittal."
Possible intent
Plaintiffs in the case expressed their complaints and demanded that Alpargün be punished. Plaintiff lawyers also requested that the prosecutor revise the charges based on a 46-page expert report prepared by a six-member team from Konya Technical University, asking for Alpargün to be sentenced for "murder with possible intent."
The court sentenced Alpargün to 62 aggravated life sentences and an additional 865 years in prison for "causing the deaths and injuries of multiple people with probable intent." His detention will continue.
Background
During the investigation, it was discovered that Alpargün had traveled to Northern Cyprus on the day the quakes occurred, on Feb 6, 2023. He later surrendered himself to the Nicosia Police Department and was brought back to Adana, where he was arrested on Feb 13, 2023.
It was also alleged that Alpargün had attempted to transfer 990,000 US dollars, 890,000 euros, and 500,000 Turkish liras from Turkey to Northern Cyprus and had been trying to purchase an apartment in Nicosia.
In his statement to the prosecutor, Alpargün said, "We traveled to the TRNC with my son on Feb 6 as part of a pre-planned visit to see family friends. Three days later, I learned that the apartment had collapsed. I immediately sent my son back to Turkey to gather information. I had no intention of fleeing."
The two earthquakes centered in Maraş, southern Turkey, killed more than 50,000 people and led to the displacement of hundreds of thousands more. (VK)