İzmir earthquake: Warrants against 22 people

* Photo: Anadolu Agency (AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish / Kurdish

Based on expert reports on the earthquake that hit İzmir on October 30, 2020 and claimed the lives of 117 people, detention warrants have been issued against 22 suspects, 13 of them have been detained.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA) from a statement released by the İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the warrants have been issued after a preliminary report was released on the earthquake compiled by experts from the Dokuz Eylul University (DEU), the Istanbul Technical University and TUBITAK-Marmara Research Center.

The samples taken from the wreckage were analyzed by 3 experts from the DEU and it was concluded that the reason for the collapse of buildings was the use of substandard materials and design errors.

The prosecutors also formed a 4-person expert committee from the Istanbul Technical University. Their final report will be released soon.

Another report compiled after geophysical measurements taken by TUBITAK-Marmara Research Center was sent to the prosecutor's office.

Files of 17 public officials separated

The AA has further reported that following the detention warrants, police officers from the İzmir Provincial Security Directorate's Public Security Branch Office took action and detained 13 suspects. The efforts are reportedly ongoing to take the other 9 suspects into custody.

Based on the findings of the above reports, the files of 17 public officials have also been separated from the others so that an investigation can be launched against them as per the Law no. 4483.

The prosecutor's office has reportedly requested permission to launch an investigation against these 17 public officials.

7 people previously arrested

117 people lost their lives in a 6.6 magnitude earthquake that hit İzmir's Seferihisar district on October 30, 2020. The İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation shortly afterwards. While 7 suspects were arrested, three suspects were released on probation. (TP/SD)