An Iranian asylum seeker who was seriously injured in a workplace accident in Eskişehir province 10 months ago has been found dead, allegedly after being unable to access adequate medical care, the Evrensel daily reported.
Seyedmahdi Mahdian, 44, was found dead by neighbors. He had fallen from the third floor of a construction site on July 31, 2025, while working in an unregistered capacity. The accident caused skull fractures, resulting in the partial removal of his skull and permanent brain damage, leaving him unable to walk and reliant on a wheelchair.
No official workplace accident record was reportedly filed at the time according to Evrensel.
Mahdian had fled Iran a decade ago after converting to Christianity and facing persecution. He applied for international protection upon arriving in Turkey, but his application was rejected and his appeal was still pending before the Bursa Regional Administrative Court at the time of his death.
After the accident Mahdian was initially treated at Yunus Emre State Hospital and hospitalized on three occasions but was unable to continue treatment due to financial constraints. He also could not afford reconstructive skull surgery.
His applications to the Tepebaşı Municipality and the Eskişehir Governor’s Office for home care services also yielded no result, with officials citing a lack of citizenship and insurance.
An expert report on the accident found that adequate safety measures had not been taken at the construction site. While the project owner and the subcontractor were not found culpable, responsibility was attributed to other site officials in the report.
Mahdian’s lawyer said the employer did not cover his treatment costs. Because Mahdian had been working informally, he was not entitled to compensation, while a compensation lawsuit he filed remained unresolved at the time of his death.
According to the Health and Safety Labor Watch (İSİG) 91 migrant workers died in occupational accidents in 2025 according to the information gathered from national and local media, workplace doctors, trade unions and workers’ families. Many workplace accidents allegedly go unrecorded in Turkey, and some injuries are reportedly classified as “individual accidents” in private hospitals to avoid official scrutiny.
