In a landmark ruling, a Turkish court handed down 62 life sentences to a contractor found guilty of negligence in the construction of a building that collapsed during a devastating earthquake in southeastern Turkey in 2023. Hasan Alpargun, the contractor, was already serving time in prison and now faces an additional 865 years for “causing death and injury with possible intent.” Additionally, 34 other defendants received 25-year prison terms for non-compliance with construction standards in a hazardous area.
The tragedy resulted in 96 fatalities when an apartment block constructed by Alpargun collapsed in Adana in February of last year. These events unfolded amid a series of earthquakes that claimed over 60,000 lives in Turkey and neighboring Syria. While some contractors have been apprehended, opposition parties are demanding accountability from government officials complicit in the affair.
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