Ministry of Justice Opens ‘Earthquake Crimes Investigation’ Bureau

After the Kahramanmaraş earthquake of February 6, 2023, one of the issues that Turkish citizens and the State showed the greatest devotion, Bringing those responsible for demolished buildings to justice it happened.

The Ministry of Justice continues to work rapidly within the scope of this issue. The ministry made a statement about the demolished buildings in the statement made in the past hours.Earthquake Crimes Investigation Offices‘ announced that it will be established.

In the cities affected by the earthquake, offices will be established to investigate those responsible for the destroyed buildings.

The Ministry of Justice has issued an announcement to the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Offices, and it has been reported that the earthquake caused by the collapsed buildings Investigating those responsible for deaths and injuries for He requested the establishment of Earthquake Crimes Investigation Bureaus.

The Ministry of Justice, which requested that the prosecutors who will work in the office not be given any other job, listed the following items in the announcement:

• Establishing Earthquake Crimes Investigation Offices for crimes committed due to earthquakes at the Office of the Chief Public Prosecutor, taking into account the number of people who lost their lives or were injured in the collapsed buildings, Assigning the Deputy Chief Public Prosecutor and enough public prosecutorsNo other job will be given to the appointed public prosecutors.
• By creating their own internal watch lists of public prosecutors who will work in Earthquake Crimes Investigation Bureaus, only for this office will be provided to keep watch.
• Efforts will be made to identify the contractors, technical responsible and surveyors (technical responsible representatives) and other responsible persons of the demolished buildings, Necessary investigations will be carried out immediately in terms of those determined to be responsible.Necessary protection measures will be taken without hesitation due to the possibility of escaping and blacking out evidence.
• Evidence collection procedures taking into account rescue activities will be carried out in a coordinated.
• In order for the evidence to be collected accurately and completely, to prepare a report on the subject. A committee of experts will be formed.
• Expert committee, architects, geology and civil engineers It will be formed from other experts according to its relevance.
• accompanied by experts under the auspices of the public prosecutor crime scene detection will be made and recorded.
• Building license, building usage certificate, architectural and static projects It will be obtained from the relevant municipalities, building owners and building inspection company without delay and delivered to the expert committee.
• Sampling and analysis procedures while detecting evidence in buildings by expert committees, Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change to licensed laboratories.
• Evidence detection procedures; Providing address, title deed registration, earthquake destroyed, building type, carrier system, building permit or building usage certificate, architect and reinforced concrete static project information and documents, if any, regarding the building, General debris image, videos and photos of columns, beams, slabs and foundation structures will be taken and samples will be taken from the structures..
• In the event that more than one structure is demolished on the site built by the same contractor, the proceedings will be carried out through a single investigation file.