Owner and Architect of Collapsed Isias Hotel Sentenced for Negligence in Turkey Earthquake Case
Ahmet Bozkurt, owner of the Isias Grand hotel, and architect Erdem Yilmaz have been sentenced to prison for their roles in the collapse of the hotel during the February 2023 earthquake that killed 72 people. The sentences, 18 years for Bozkurt and 17 years for Yilmaz, have been deemed too lenient by Turkish Cypriot Prime Minister Unal Ustel. The hotel was hosting a volleyball team and tour guides at the time of the quake, which resulted in widespread destruction and over 50,000 fatalities in Turkey and Syria.