Owner and Architect of Collapsed Turkish Hotel Sentenced to Prison

In a recent ruling, a Turkish court has sentenced the owner and architect of a hotel that collapsed during a devastating earthquake in 2023 to lengthy prison terms for negligence that led to numerous fatalities.

A Turkish court has delivered a significant verdict concerning the tragic collapse of the Isias Grand Hotel, which succumbed to a deadly earthquake in February 2023, resulting in the deaths of 72 individuals. Owner Ahmet Bozkurt and architect Erdem Yilmaz received sentences of 18 years and five months, while Bozkurt’s son, Mehmet Fatih, was sentenced to 17 years and four months. They were found guilty of "causing the death or injury of more than one person through conscious negligence," as reported by Anadolu news agency.

At the time of the earthquake, the Isias Grand was accommodating a school volleyball team from Turkish-controlled northern Cyprus, along with several tourist guides. The earthquake struck suddenly, leading to the swift collapse of the seven-story hotel, which had been a well-known establishment since its opening in 2001. Tragically, only four parents survived among the group of 39 that included students and teachers who were attending a volleyball tournament.

The seismic disaster of February 6, 2023, left an indelible mark on Turkey and Syria, claiming over 50,000 lives and rendering 1.5 million people homeless due to the destruction of around 160,000 buildings. Following the earthquake, the Turkish government initiated investigations into the responsibility for the structural failures, resulting in hundreds of arrests, particularly among construction contractors and property owners.

The earthquake’s aftermath has spurred significant outrage directed at the Turkish government, which faced criticism for encouraging construction without adequately enforcing building regulations. Following the sentencing, Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Unal Ustel expressed dissatisfaction with the leniency of the penalties, stating that authorities plan to appeal the decision, emphasizing that the punishment did not meet expectations for those responsible for the hotel’s construction.