Group of lawyers files charges against Erdogan and ministers

A group of lawyers in Turkey filed criminal charges against top officials over their alleged responsibility in the disaster following twin earthquakes on 6 February.

The lawyers, members of Populist Lawyers, said in a tweet on Tuesday:

"Sixty one lawyers affiliated with our group filed criminal charges against officials, including Recep Tayyip Erdogan, over their responsibility in the consequences of the earthquake."

The accused officials also include the minister of environment and urbanization, the interior minister, the defense minister, the health minister, the minister of transport and infrastructure, the governors of 10 provinces in the earthquake zone, the mayors of all cities in the earthquake zone, the executives of mobile telecommunication companies Turkcell, Vodafone and Turk Telekom, and eleven construction contractors.

The lawyers added that all other construction contractors, representatives of supervision companies and public servants who may be indicted on charges of criminal negligence and obtaining illicit benefit in ensuing legal processes should also be subjected to the charges they filed.