By Hatice Kesgin
MANISA, Turkey
A summary of proceedings of the Soma mining disaster, which claimed the lives of 301 workers in May, was accepted by Akhisar High Criminal Court in Manisa on Monday, the public prosecutor has said.
This is a fast-track form of litigation, usually reserved for cases that involve a small number of clear-cut issues and require prompt action.
Turkish prosecutors had prepared an evidence-laden report in September.
The report will form the basis of any future criminal investigation into the disaster, which was the worst mining accident in Turkey’s history.
Akhisar Public Prosecutor, Bekir Sahiner, confirmed that the official, written indictement was prepared by the Soma Chief Prosecutor’s Office in the Manisa district and was given to Akhisar High Criminal Court.
On May 13, an explosion in a mine in the western town of Soma claimed 301 lives, making it the deadliest mining disaster in Turkey’s history.
The owner of the mine, Alp Gurkan, along with his son and CEO of the company, Can Gurkan, and the general manager, Ramazan Dogru, were arrested on May 20.
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