First major trial begins in Turkey for construction bungling
Almost a year after the severe earthquakes that claimed tens of thousands of lives, the first major trial for construction negligence has begun in Turkey. Eleven defendants have been on trial in Adiyaman since Wednesday for negligence in the construction of the "Isaias" hotel, whose collapse alone claimed the lives of 72 people. Among the fatalities were 24 children from Northern Cyprus and their guardians who had traveled to Turkey for a volleyball tournament.
The public prosecutor's office accuses the defendants, including the hotel owner, of serious breaches of building and safety regulations. The building, originally constructed as a residential building, was illegally converted into a hotel in 2011. In addition, a storey had been added without permission.
More than 50,000 people were killed in severe earthquakes in the Turkish-Syrian border region on February 6 last year. In the weeks that followed, hundreds of suspects were arrested in Turkey for bungling the construction work.
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Source: www.ntv.de
