Turkey earthquake victims decry private aid misuse as courts find fault with agencies in building collapse

In the aftermath of the 6 February earthquakes that devastated Kahramanmaraş, residents criticized the Ahbap Association for allegedly misusing donations collected for survivors. Locals such as Mesut Balık and Orhan Ceviz said the funds would have been more effective if sent directly to the state disaster agency AFAD, which they credit for rebuilding efforts and new housing.

Separately, a court‑ordered expert report on the collapse of the Renaissance Residence in Antakya, Hatay, assigned partial responsibility to several public bodies. The Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change was deemed 3 % at fault, AFAD 2 %, Hatay Metropolitan Municipality 5 % and Antakya Municipality 10 %, with the remaining liability attributed to private developers. The lawsuit, filed by families of the 269 victims, remains ongoing.