All suspects released in elevator-death case

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

Three of 25 suspects being tried on manslaughter charges in the case of an elevator accident that cost 10 lives last year in Istanbul were released Feb. 20, meaning no suspects remain behind bars in the trial.

Murat Aytimur, Önder Türksoy and Turgay Dalkılıç were released by the Istanbul 13th High Criminal Court taking into account the classification of the offence, the low possibility for tampering with evidence and the period already served in detention.

Twenty-one other suspects and their lawyers also attended the hearing.

During the hearing, the head of the court also announced that lawyer Yıldız İmrek’s demand for the recusal of the judge had been rejected by the Istanbul 14th High Criminal Court, prompting İmrek to announce plans for an appeal.

The court also decided to send the case to the Istanbul 15th High Criminal Court for the evaluation of the demand for recusal before postponing the hearing.

Ten workers were killed at a construction site for the Torunlar Center in Istanbul’s Mecidiyeköy neighborhood when an elevator carrying them suddenly plunged to the ground from the 32th floor on Sept. 6, 2014.

After the incident, public prosecutor Erdal Bağcı launched an investigation and demanded the 25 suspects be sentenced to between 2.5 and 22.5 years in prison on charges of manslaughter.

The indictment prepared regarding the accident has previouly stated that there was a lack of grounds for legal action against Torunlar GYO Chairman Aziz Torun, as well as Yunus Emre Torun, Mehmet Torun, Lütfü Vardı, Abdülvahit Kaplan, Tuncer Akarçay, Haluk Okur, Bektaş Ateş and Özmen Özmenoğlu.