Prison terms sought for municipal employees in nightclub fire

ISTANBUL

Prosecutors are seeking prison sentences of up to 17 years for 13 municipality employees, including high-level officials, in connection with a deadly fire at a nightclub in Istanbul's Beşiktaş district.

The blaze broke out on April 2 at the Masquerade nightclub while the venue was undergoing renovations. All 29 victims were workers involved in interior efforts.

Among those facing charges are former Beşiktaş Deputy Mayors Ali Rıza Yılmaz, Ahmet Koray Bayraktaroğlu, Yasemin Saral and Ahmet Mithat Şermet.

High-ranking officials from the Istanbul Municipality's fire department, including Fazlı Yavuz, Numan Bulburu, Tuncay Akdağ and Şükrü Öztürk, have also been implicated.

Public officials Feridun Tayfun Erelmas, Lalehan Taşdelen Başkaya, Nilüfer Oğuz, Rahşan Tekin Ölmez and Uğur Türkyılmaz are among the accused.

The 13 individuals are charged with “negligently causing the death of more than one person” and “abuse of office,” with potential sentences ranging from two years and six months to 17 years.

The indictment is based on reports from inspectors of the Interior Ministry and the Istanbul Governor's Office.

According to the findings, the nightclub had been operating with improper permits for years.

The establishment was originally built as a movie theater, but in 1987, the district governor's office and the municipality in Beşiktaş issued a discotheque permit in violation of regulations.

It was later licensed as a restaurant with alcohol, despite functioning as a nightclub from the start.

The incident also led to a previous lawsuit involving nine other individuals who face up to 22 years and six months in prison for “causing the death and injury of more than one person with conscious negligence.” Their trial is ongoing in an Istanbul court.

Several nightclub officials, including the workplace manager, accountant, business manager, technical service manager and three partners, were detained earlier as part of the probe.

Investigators said the fire was ignited by sparks from machinery during welding work, which set off flames in the sound insulation and flooring materials.