Families of the "Champion Angels" Return to the TRNC

The families of the "Champion Angels" returned to Northern Cyprus after attending the fifth hearing in the Isias Hotel case. Relatives of the victims arrived in the TRNC from Turkey late last night.

The fifth hearing regarding the collapse of the Isias Hotel during the February 6 earthquake in Turkey took place on December 3 at the Third High Criminal Court of Adıyaman. A delegation from the TRNC, consisting of approximately 100 people and led by Prime Minister Ünal Üstel, attended the session.

Following the hearing, the court ruled to continue detaining the defendants Ahmet Bozkurt, Mehmet Fatih Bozkurt, and Erdem Yıldız. Meanwhile, eight other defendants will remain under judicial control and stand trial without being detained.

The court also rejected requests for expert analyses and called for further investigation into the role of officials involved in the incident. The sixth hearing is scheduled for December 24.

The Grand Isias Hotel collapsed during the devastating earthquake on February 6, 2023, claiming 72 lives, including 35 Turkish Cypriots. The first hearing in the case was held in January at the Adıyaman High Criminal Court. After several days of deliberations, temporary rulings were issued.

Lawyers representing the families of the "Champion Angels" opposed these initial rulings. The second hearing took place on April 26, attended by around 100 Turkish Cypriots. Subsequent hearings followed on June 12 and October 21.

The term "Champion Angels" honors the youth volleyball team from Famagusta who tragically lost their lives in the earthquake. Among the victims, 35 bodies were recovered from the rubble of the hotel.