Turkey has protected the powerful from being held accountable for the earthquake.

An in-depth investigation conducted by The New Arab (TNA) over the course of a year has shed light on the negligence and corruption surrounding the construction of private residential buildings in Turkey. The focus of this investigation was the 2023 Kahramanmaraş earthquake and its devastating impact on these buildings, revealing a disturbing pattern of impunity and irregularities within the country’s judicial system.

The report, which was compiled from various sources including lawyers, engineers, architects, family victims, employees of building inspection companies, and associations across the region, has been verified through judicial documents from criminal investigations. The main areas of focus were the provinces of Hatay and Gaziantep.

According to TNA’s findings, there has been a blatant failure on the part of Turkish authorities to prosecute and properly investigate public officials and administrations for their role in the construction of these buildings. In cases where officials were indicted, their dossiers were often separated and authorization for prosecution remained indefinitely on hold, pending higher approval. Shockingly, this stalled progress has only been seen in cases involving low-ranking officials, with no high-ranking officials being investigated at all.

This report has sparked outrage among the public and has raised concerns about the state of Turkey’s judicial system. Families who lost loved ones in the earthquake are demanding justice for the lives that were lost due to the negligence and corruption of those responsible for ensuring the safety of these buildings.

TNA’s investigative editor, Andrea Glioti, has called for a thorough review of the judicial proceedings surrounding this issue. Inquiries can be directed to Glioti via email at andrea.glioti@newarab.com.

For further information on this report, please visit https://pressat.co.uk/.