Türkiye lawyers call for evidence of negligence to be preserved in earthquake debris removal process News
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Türkiye lawyers call for evidence of negligence to be preserved in earthquake debris removal process

The Turkish Bar Association called Thursday for any evidence of negligence to be preserved as earthquake debris is removed.

In an open call to the Ministry of Justice, the lawyers said, “It is the primary duty of the state to take the necessary measures to prevent such disasters from happening again and to fight impunity.” They called for the preservation of any evidence of negligence as workers clear the debris.

“In order to determine the suspects and fault situations in future legal applications, it is obligatory to determine the evidence by expert committees consisting of volunteer lawyers and engineers right now, before the debris removal works.”

The statement added that the members of the bar association stand ready to assist so that an effective investigation can be carried out.

More than 23,000 people are dead and tens of thousands injured after a magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck Türkiye and Syria on Monday. This is the region’s deadliest earthquake in more than 80 years. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s administration has been facing global criticism for its response to the disaster.

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