Families of workers killed in a factory fire in northwestern Turkey last year called for the prosecution of all those responsible, including public officials, as the trial got underway on Tuesday, the Cumhuriyet daily reported.
The case concerns a fire at the Ravive Kozmetik factory in the Dilovası district of Kocaeli province, an industrial hub near İstanbul. Seven workers, including three minors, were killed and seven others injured in the blaze on November 8, 2025.
The blaze broke out in the morning in the factory, which was also used as a warehouse, and quickly engulfed the building.
The victims were trapped inside, inspectors from the Social Security Institution (SGK) said, in part because the facility had only one exit and no emergency escape route.
Inspectors said the building lacked basic protections, including functional grounding, adequate ventilation, explosion-control systems, a fire escape and a fire detection and alarm system.
Speaking outside the Kocaeli Prison campus before the hearing, families said the investigation into the fire had been incomplete and biased, claiming that responsibility extended beyond the detained company officials.
In a joint statement they described the incident as a “workplace killing,” alleging that the factory had operated without proper licensing, inspections or safety measures. They said limiting the investigation to company representatives and safety experts ignored the role of public authorities.
Seven people, including company owners, were arrested as part of the investigation, while some municipal officials were suspended from duty.
The families questioned why officials who allegedly failed to act on complaints remained in their positions and said some individuals they had identified to prosecutors had not been questioned.
They also raised concerns about the demolition of the factory after the fire, saying it may have led to the destruction of evidence.
“Our demand is clear: Everyone must be held accountable,” the families said, calling for the prosecution of all those who enabled the facility to operate, including municipal and ministerial officials as well as company executives.
Lawyers representing the families echoed the call in court, asking that complaints against public officials be formally examined and that defendants currently testifying remotely be required to appear in person at future hearings.
Access restrictions at the courthouse also prompted criticism. Gendarmes initially barred journalists and observers from bringing mobile phones into the courtroom. After objections, only 10 journalists were allowed to enter with press credentials and were required to leave their devices outside.
The hearing began with identity checks and a summary of the indictment and is expected to last at least three days.
The court rejected requests from several bar associations — including the Union of Turkish Bar Associations and bar groups in İstanbul, Kocaeli, Sakarya and Bursa — as well as civil society organizations to join the case as intervening parties.
According to the indictment prepared by the Gebze Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, prosecutors are seeking seven counts of aggravated life imprisonment for detained company officials on charges of killing with probable intent.
There are 16 defendants in the trial, eight of whom are in pretrial detention, while another is jailed in a separate case.
Other defendants face prison sentences ranging from two years, eight months to 22 years, six months for causing death and injury through conscious negligence. Some suspects also face charges of harboring a criminal, carrying sentences of up to five years.
The Dilovası case has renewed concerns about workplace safety in Turkey, where fatal accidents remain widespread. According to a March report by the Health and Safety Labour Watch (İSİG), at least 126 workers died in work-related incidents in February alone. The group documented 2,105 such deaths in 2025, the highest annual total in at least a decade, pointing to worsening safety conditions.
Turkey made progress in aligning its occupational health and safety legislation with European Union standards after it became an EU candidate country in 1999 and also ratified the relevant International Labour Organization conventions in 2005. However, implementation and enforcement of these standards have been far less effective.
According to İSİG data, nearly 35,000 workers have died in workplace accidents since the Justice and Development Party (AKP) came to power in November 2002.