Türkiye - February 2023

A devastating earthquake of 7.8 magnitude scale, followed by numerous aftershocks, hit south-eastern Turkey and Syria on 6 February. Reports estimate that more than 45,000 have died and millions were displaced, marking the country’s worst humanitarian disaster in modern history. The earthquake has spotlighted several concerns, including authorities’ responsibility for the quality of buildings that led to the high death toll, and the reported attempts to suppress media freedom. Over two hundred arrest warrants were issued for builders. Critics have said that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has offered amnesties for illegal buildings throughout the years, in what he called “zoning peace,” a practice that allowed builders to skip crucial safety regulations. Some have blamed authorities’ slow response following the quake on incompetent officials who were placed in state institutions for being loyalists of Erdoğan. There were also reports of intimidation and arrests of journalists covering the earthquake zones, as well as restrictions on social media access. Experts have stated that this crisis could impact Turkish elections set for this year.

Sources: The Guardian (1), The Guardian (2), British Broadcasting Corporation (1), British Broadcasting Corporation (2), Voice of America, Foreign Policy, Foreign Affairs, Kulturkampf, Reuters, Committee to Protect Journalists, The Guardian (3), British Broadcasting Corporation (3)