Lawyers fear spoliation of evidence in mine explosion site

Turkey’s Contemporary Lawyers Association (CHD) has filed a criminal complaint against 11 officials including  the minister of energy and minister of labor regarding the death of 41 miners in the Northern Amasra district of Bartin province, Deutsche Welle Turkish reported.

CHD demanded an investigation be launched against these officials for the crimes of 'possible intentional killing, deliberate killing with negligent behavior and aggravated injury as a result'.

In a petition to the prosecutor's office, the lawyers demanded that the suspects be banned from the mine site to avoid counter forensics and documents in the mine be seized immediately.

"The quarry where the massacre took place is still an area where the suspects are actively disposing of. This area is now a crime scene. Therefore, the intervention of people who will be considered suspects should be prevented immediately," the CHP statement added that the suspects should be arrested because they are still in charge of public service and could easily black out evidence. 

Lawyers, based on their experience from previous mine explosion lawsuits, said independent expert committees should participate in the investigation and they should not have contacts with the management.