“We Are Here For Our Champion Angels Until The End On The Path To Justice Through Appeal”
On behalf of Eastern Mediterranean University (EMU), EMU Rector Prof. Dr. Hasan Kılıç released a statement of support for Champion Angels regarding the latest developments on their case. The message released by Prof. Dr. Kılıç reads as follows:
“We continue to feel the deep sorrow of the loss of our Champion Angels, including the children of our university staff, as well as students, parents, and employees from Famagusta Turkish Maarif College, who tragically passed away in the collapse of the İsias Hotel in Adıyaman during the Kahramanmaraş-centered earthquakes on 6 February 2023. This profound loss remains in our hearts as intensely as it did on the very first day.
From the outset, Eastern Mediterranean University has closely followed the pursuit of justice initiated by the families of the Champion Angels. Despite the availability of expert technical reports from various universities, including our own, the legal proceedings concerning the İsias Hotel concluded on 24 December 2024, with a verdict that, particularly for the families filled with grief and longing, resulted in deep disappointment and sorrow. As a result of the ruling, the hotel owners, those responsible, and the architect were sentenced to various prison terms. However, rather than the anticipated charge of ‘intentional manslaughter’, they were convicted only of ‘reckless negligence’. Regrettably, this decision does not provide an adequate punishment for those responsible for the loss of 72 lives at the İsias Hotel, and justice has not been fully served.
It is of paramount importance that justice is served to prevent the recurrence of similar acts of negligence and mistakes, and to safeguard against future tragedies. While no punishment can restore our children or loved ones, nor alleviate the suffering of the families of the Champion Angels, we firmly believe that by ensuring the İsias case is documented as a precedent with the application of a more robust legal framework, it can play a role, at least to some extent, in preventing such disasters in the future.
As the Eastern Mediterranean University, we remain steadfast in our support for the new legal efforts to be initiated by the families of the Champion Angels. We hold firm in our belief that true justice will ultimately prevail through the Court of Appeal, and that all those responsible will eventually face the consequences they deserve. We are committed to standing by the Champion Angels throughout the journey to ensure that justice is achieved through the appeal process. As a prestigious institution of higher education, our university is fully prepared to offer any assistance and support in the pursuit of justice for the Champion Angels.
We once again remember our Champion Angels with deep sorrow and longing, and we wish patience and resilience to their families throughout the upcoming legal proceedings. We also hope that by raising awareness about earthquakes and improving building safety, similar tragedies will be prevented in the future.”