Turkish courts convict officials over fatal earthquake building collapses

Following the February 2023 earthquakes in Turkey, two high‑profile criminal trials have concluded. In Malatya’s Yeşilyurt district, the Trend Garden Rezidans collapsed, killing 30 people and injuring five. The Malatya 1st Heavy Penal Court sentenced contractor Bahattin Doğan and project designer Bülent Yeroğlu to 12 years 6 months imprisonment each, while owners Engin Aslan and Sefa Gülfırat received 17 years 6 months. Other defendants were acquitted and the verdict is under appeal. The prosecution’s report cited illegal “imar barışı” renovations that violated seismic regulations as a conscious act of negligence.

In Adana, the 15‑storey Mete Apartmanı collapsed, also causing 12 deaths. On 18 September 2025 the Adana 1st Heavy Penal Court sentenced contractor Muzaffer Mete and engineer Atilla Tuğran to 12 years 2 months 20 days imprisonment for conscious negligence. Prosecutors have sought a 22‑year‑6‑month term for former planning official Alim Erdoğan, alleging failure to enforce the 1975 earthquake‑safety code. Expert reports highlighted substandard materials and lack of oversight as key factors.

Both cases were prosecuted under Turkey’s Penal Code for “conscious negligence leading to multiple deaths,” reflecting intensified legal scrutiny of building safety after the earthquakes.