Antakya Municipality engineers sentenced for irregular building permit

The Hatay 1st High Criminal Court has sentenced three individuals to 3 years and 4 months in prison for the forgery of official documents related to an irregular building occupancy permit in Antakya.

The case involved the Ferah Apartment in the Saraycık neighborhood. Prosecutors argued that despite the building's architectural and static projects being in violation of regulations, an occupancy permit was illegally issued on January 31, 2018. This fraudulent documentation allowed the building to be used, and the structure subsequently sustained damage during the February 6 earthquakes.

The convicted individuals include two engineers from the Antakya Municipality, F. A. A. (civil engineer) and M. İ. (mechanical engineer), along with A. E. S., an official from a building inspection company. In addition to the prison sentences, the court imposed a 1-year and 10-month ban on the defendants' use of professional rights and authorities, effective after the execution of their sentences. The defendants have the right to appeal the decision to the Adana Regional Court of Justice within two weeks.