Türkiye opens first trial into earthquake deaths allegedly linked to poor building construction
Türkiye has opened the first major trial investigating the construction of buildings that crumbled in two massive February 2023 earthquakes that claimed more than 50,000 lives.
Key points:
- The hotel’s collapse killed 24 children who had flown to Türkiye to attend a students’ volleyball tournament
- Turkish Police have arrested around 200 people over allegedly poor building construction after the first earthquake struck
- Prosecutors say it was a tragedy that could have been averted if proper safety standards were met
The hearing on Wednesday in the south-eastern city of Adiyaman involves 11 defendants accused of “conscious negligence” while overseeing the construction of the Isias Hotel.
Five of the 11 defendants, including the hotel’s owner, were arrested and charged with crimes that could see them jailed for more than 20 years each.
The hotel’s collapse killed 24 children from Northern Cyprus who had flown to Türkiye to attend a students’ volleyball tournament.
As well as the children, a group of parents and chaperones also died in the hotel.
Turkish prosecutors said it was a tragedy that could have been averted if proper safety standards had been met.
The building collapse claimed the lives of 72 people, with 39 of them from Northern Cyprus.
Turkish police arrested about 200 people over allegedly poor building construction immediately after the first magnitude-7.8 earthquake struck.
A second earthquake struck in late February on the Türkiye-Syria border. It was a magnitude-6.4.
Today’s indictment said the building was illegally converted from a residence into a hotel in 2001.
It added that the hotel had illegally erected an additional floor to the nine permitted by the original plan.
The plaintiffs include Northern Cyprus Prime Minister Unal Ustel.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has emerged politically unscathed from the disaster, winning the re-election months after the earthquakes struck.
He blamed the large death toll on corrupt property developers who paid off local inspectors in order to use cheap building materials and illegally put up additional floors.
Mr Erdogan’s critics counter that most of Türkiye’s main construction and real estate companies have formed a close relationship with the ruling AKP party during his 21-year rule.
AFP/ABC
