Prosecutor demands probation for ‘possible’ suspects in Turkey mine disaster

The Ermenek Public Prosecutor’s Office has demanded that officials from the Karaman mine be put on probation for their possible responsibility in the disaster, in which 18 miners have been trapped underground since Oct. 28.

The requested officials were determined after seized documents and evidence were evaluated by prosecutors, said the statement released by the prosecutor's office on Oct. 31. It underlined that the officials’ criminal liabilities might change when the prosecution is completed, as the miners have yet to be recovered from the mine.

Experts are not able to examine the mine to determine the exact reason of the accident because the search and rescue operations are still ongoing, but the investigation will deepen when the effort has been completed, according to the statement.

Prosecutors have begun to take the testimonies of the workers who survived, while the miners who were working on the other shift will also be questioned.

The probation demand has been sent to the Ermenek Criminal Court of Peace.