Courts arrest 351 people over February 6 earthquakes

Photo: AA

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Minister of Justice Yılmaz Tunç updated the reporters on the ongoing investigations over the February 6 earthquakes.

231 members of the judiciary lost their lives while 15 courthouses and 11 prisons were heavily damaged in the February 6 earthquakes, Tunç also announced. 

The minister has spoken to the journalists in the Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD) Coordination Center after his visit to the earthquake-hit province of Hatay.  

He informed that 131 new courtrooms have been built in the earthquake-hit regions.

248 residences for the members of the judiciary will be built in Hatay, and a separate courthouse in the Samandağ district. 

Files are being examined by experts

Minister Tunç shared the latest information on the judicial proceedings following the deadly earthquakes. 

"Criminal proceedings were started for those responsible, right from the start following the earthquake,  and prosecutions started for some of these files. Most files are being examined by experts at the moment.  Detentions continue to be examined as the expert reports are submitted to the prosecutor's offices," the minister said.  

Number of arrests

Accordingly, the latest figures related to the investigations over the February 6 earthquakes are as follows: 

Proceedings were started in relation to 1757 suspects, 725 of them in Hatay.

351 have been arrested, 71 of them in Hatay. 

Judicial control measures were imposed on 642 people, 254 of them in Hatay.

Other measures were imposed on 764 people, 380 of them in Hatay.

118 contractors have been arrested, 26 of them in Hatay. 

192 construction site supervisors have been arrested, 60 of them in Hatay. 

23 building owners have been arrested, 3 of them in Hatay. 

Declaratory lawsuits 

Minister Tunç informed that declaratory lawsuits also continued at the moment.

He added that these lawsuits had to end quickly in order to determine if the buildings damaged in the earthquake will or will not be pulled down. (AS/PE)