134 contractors alleged to be involved in shoddy constructions detained

ISTANBUL

Within the scope of the investigations carried out by the “earthquake crimes investigation offices” established by the Justice Ministry, the number of contractors alleged to be involved in shoddy and illegal construction methods has increased to 134.

The Adıyaman Bar Association, together with the Union of Turkish Bar Associations, has set up a booth outside the courthouse to provide information and legal support to earthquake survivors.

Citizens whose houses were damaged or collapsed in the deadly earthquakes of Feb. 6 can file a criminal complaint to the prosecutor’s office here with the help of lawyers.

Adıyaman Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office stated that the news regarding the confidentiality order imposed on the file of Grand Isias Hotel, which went into ruins in the earthquake, does not reflect the truth.

“Our chief public prosecutor’s office is diligently working on this matter,” said Bilal Doğan, the president of the Adıyaman Bar Association.

Separately, Mehmet Yaşar Coşkun, the contractor of Rönesans Residence, which collapsed in Hatay, was detained at Istanbul Airport while trying to flee to Montenegro.

Meanwhile, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ gave permission to the Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK) to investigate the public prosecutor who issued a decision of non-prosecution in 2016 regarding allegations that columns were cut in Rende Sitesi, as it also collapsed in the Feb. 6’s quakes in Hatay.

Accordingly, an inspector was assigned and an investigation was initiated against the prosecutor.

As other investigations into contractors of collapsed buildings continue around the country, in Osmaniye, five of the 16 suspects detained were arrested, while 11 suspects were released.

It was determined during the investigations that 11 contractors, one of them Hasan A., the contractor of the Penta Park Sitesi that collapsed in the earthquake, died under the buildings they built, while five of the 85 suspects were determined to be abroad.

In Şanlıurfa, the number of detainees increased to 11, while in Malatya, 40 out of 46 suspects were detained and 13 were arrested.

In Diyarbakır, where the number of suspects to be detained was determined as 33, 15 suspects were arrested and sent to prison.

In Adana, 12 more suspects were arrested, six were released on judicial control, and 13 of the 71 individuals for whom detention orders were issued were released. Two suspects are still being interrogated, bringing the total number of detainees to 13.