Two jailed for 18 years over tower block collapse in Turkey quake

Two senior figures involved in the construction of a large Turkish residential complex that collapsed during the 2022 earthquake have been sentenced to over 18 years in prison, according to local media reports on Wednesday.

The case revolves around an eight-story tower block at the Ebrar complex in Kahramanmaras, a city in southeastern Turkey. This complex included 22 blocks, nearly all of which crumbled when a powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck just before dawn on February 6, 2023, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,400 individuals.

The verdict announced Wednesday specifically addressed the collapse of Block B, where 115 lives were lost. The judge sentenced senior contractor Tevfik Tepebasi and Atilla Oz, the head of the cooperative that constructed the block, to 18 years and eight months each for "causing death and injury through conscious negligence."

There were four additional defendants in the case; three were acquitted due to a lack of evidence, while the fourth is being tried in absentia. Tepebasi, who was jailed shortly after the earthquake, has faced multiple prosecutions related to the disaster. He stirred controversy during a court hearing last year by claiming he should not be charged, stating, "I don't know anything about construction."

Families of the victims expressed dissatisfaction with the sentences and the acquittals, indicating plans to appeal the decisions.

The earthquake claimed more than 53,500 lives in Turkey and nearly 6,000 in neighboring Syria. It also destroyed around 39,000 buildings and left an additional 200,000 severely damaged, displacing nearly two million people.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan criticized negligent contractors, accusing them of cutting corners by using cheap materials and disregarding fundamental construction standards. More than 200 contractors and developers were arrested in the immediate aftermath of the quake.

However, investigations into public officials responsible for signing off on building permits and safety inspections have been limited. Such inquiries can only be initiated with the permission of the interior ministry, raising concerns about accountability for those in positions of authority. The ongoing focus on justice continues as families seek closure in the wake of this tragedy, hoping for broader accountability in the construction sector.