Trial Begins in Adıyaman for Officials Linked to Grand İsias Hotel Collapse

A new trial has begun today in Adıyaman, Turkey, against several public officials in connection with the collapse of the Grand İsias Hotel—an incident that claimed 72 lives during the catastrophic earthquake on February 6, 2023. Among the victims were members of the youth volleyball team known as the “Champion Angels.”

The first hearing was held this morning at 9:30 a.m. in the Adıyaman First High Criminal Court.

The Adıyaman Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office filed charges last February against six government employees accused of “deliberate negligence.” Those on trial include former Deputy Mayor Osman Bulut, who was responsible at the time for overseeing project inspections and issuing construction permits. Also facing charges are Bilal Balcı, head of the permit department; Mehmet Salih Alkayış, planning and zoning manager; Abdurrahman Karaaslan, a permanent staff member; Yusuf Gül, zoning manager; and Fazlı Karakuş, a technician in the permit office.

This is not the first trial connected to the disaster. The initial hearings concerning the hotel’s collapse began in January 2024 at the Adıyaman High Criminal Court. Those proceedings stretched over nearly a year. In the final session, held on December 25, 2024, at the Third High Criminal Court, a summary verdict was delivered: six individuals were found guilty of causing death and injury through negligence, while five others were acquitted.