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Earthquake victim families protest at Turkey's Ministry of Justice
Families affected by the February 6, 2023, earthquakes are continuing their protest outside the Ministry of Justice in Ankara. Members of the 'Adalet Peşinde Aileleri Platformu' (Families Seeking Justice Platform) have been holding a vigil for 11 days, demanding a meeting with Justice Minister Akın Gürlek to address perceived legal failures and lack of accountability.
Protesters expressed frustration over delayed indictments in high-profile cases, such as the Rana and Arı apartment buildings, and criticized the treatment of fugitive defendants. Celal Gezer, the platform's Adıyaman representative, reported that the Ministry offered a meeting with the General Director of Criminal Affairs rather than the Minister or a Deputy Minister, a move the families described as dismissive.
DEM Party Co-Chair Tülay Hatimoğulları visited the protesters, supporting their call for justice. She argued that the mass casualties, which official figures place at over 53,000, were not merely a natural disaster but a consequence of unregulated construction, corruption in building materials, and insufficient state oversight.
Entities
Adalet Peşinde Aileleri Platformu · Akın Gürlek · Celal Gezer · Families Pursuing Justice Platform · Ministry of Justice · Tülay Hatimoğulları
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Official data states that more than 53,000 people lost their lives in the earthquakes. www.habereguven.com · dokuz8haber.net
- [● 3 SOURCES] The platform has been protesting in front of the Ministry of Justice for 11 days. www.aydinpost.com · dokuz8haber.net · www.sondakika.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Indictments have still not been prepared for several cases, including the Rana and Arı apartment buildings. www.aydinpost.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Ministry of Justice offered a meeting with the General Director of Criminal Affairs instead of Minister Akın Gürlek or a Deputy Minister. www.sondakika.com
- [● 2 SOURCES] The loss of life was caused by unregulated buildings and lack of state inspection rather than natural disasters alone. www.habereguven.com · dokuz8haber.net
- [● 4 SOURCES] Members of the platform are protesting the lack of accountability and legal issues regarding buildings collapsed during the February 6, 2023, earthquakes. www.aydinpost.com · www.izgazete.net · dokuz8haber.net · www.sondakika.com