Contractor sentenced to 18 years in landmark earthquake verdict

The first verdict has been delivered in the legal proceedings following the devastating building collapses caused by the devastating earthquakes on Feb. 6 last year, with the contractor of one collapsed apartment building in Şanlıurfa receiving an 18-year prison sentence.

During the proceedings, a heavy penal court in the city reviewed reports and minutes of expert examinations conducted on the wreckage of the apartment building.

Lawyers representing the aggrieved parties urged the court to impose the maximum penalty on the defendant, Müslüm Demirer.

In his assessment, the prosecutor underscored that the defendant had "failed to meet his obligations" according to construction standards, thereby contributing to the collapse of the building, which resulted in the loss of 34 lives and injuries to others.

Following deliberation, the court unanimously found the defendant guilty of "causing the death and injury of more than one person with conscious negligence," and sentenced him to 21 years and nine months in prison.

However, considering that the defendant had suffered the loss of his own son in the tragic event, the court mitigated the sentence by one-sixth. Consequently, Müslüm Demirer was ultimately sentenced to 18 years, one month and 15 days in prison.