Isias Hotel Case: Next Hearing Set for December 24

The latest developments include a new expert report indicating the guilt of all parties involved. Despite this, the prosecutor maintained the charges at the level of "negligence with conscious recklessness," a decision described as "unexpected" by Hasan Esendağlı, the President of the Bar Association. He criticized this move as "the prosecutor's latest invention," noting that the expert report had not been thoroughly discussed.

Esendağlı also emphasized the significance of the court rejecting defense attorneys' objections to the expert report. Additionally, the court decided to inquire with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the fate of public officials connected to the case.

The court suggested the next session could potentially lead to a verdict, with the possibility of it spanning two days. Esendağlı remarked, "Whether a decision will be announced on December 25 or delayed remains to be seen."

Ruşen Yücesoylu Karakaya, President of the Association for Keeping the Champion Angels Alive, highlighted that families are not solely seeking justice for the 72 victims but also aim to make the Isias Hotel trial a precedent. She reiterated their demand for all responsible parties to face charges of "probable intent" and affirmed their continued fight:
"Our struggle is clear. We lost our children, our loved ones. We do not want anyone else to endure such a loss. We will be here again on December 24."

During the hearing, Ahmet Bozkurt, the hotel owner, denied the latest accusations, calling the expert report "fabricated." Co-defendant Mehmet Fatih Bozkurt, who joined the hotel's management in 2001, claimed, "I cannot be held responsible for technical issues; I had no involvement in these matters." Architect Erdem Yıldız rejected the allegation that he had signed off on the building’s structural integrity, stating, "The additional floor was already constructed when I worked on the project."

Civil Engineer Halil Bağcı argued he did not prepare the building's static calculations, while Engineer Mehmet Göncüoğlu noted, "The hotel's load capacity increased, and concrete quality decreased by 50%."

The Isias Hotel trial remains a critical case as families and advocates push for broader accountability and justice.