He announced the cyanide disaster: Prison requested for Sedat Cezayirlioğlu

Ersin Eroğlu/ 12punto EXCLUSIVE

Nine workers lost their lives after being buried under soil following the collapse of a cyanide-leaching heap at the İliç mine disaster on Tuesday, February 13. Sedat Cezayirlioğlu, an activist from İliç who announced the disaster to the public and stated that tons of cyanide-contaminated water were flowing toward the Euphrates River, had been detained.

With an indictment prepared by the İliç Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a prison sentence of up to three years has been requested for Sedat Cezayirlioğlu on the charge of "publicly disseminating misleading information."

Sedat Cezayirlioğlu will appear before the judge on September 4.

Sedat Cezayirlioğlu had been banned from entering within 3 kilometers of the mining site.

No indictment has yet been prepared regarding the company officials who were detained following the İliç disaster.

WHAT HAPPENED?

A landslide occurred around 14:30 on Tuesday, February 13, at the Çöpler Mine, where Anagold Mining has been producing gold since December 2010.

Minister of Interior Ali Yerlikaya stated that a mass estimated at 10 million cubic meters had shifted.

Nine workers at the mine were trapped under this mass.

Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Alparslan Bayraktar, in a statement made before search and rescue operations were halted, had said, "We have determined that 3 of the workers are in one location and 6 are in another."

Minister Bayraktar stated that experts from the State Hydraulic Works (DSİ) were continuing their efforts to rapidly bring the clean water and contaminated water under control.

Expressing that measurements from water and soil are ongoing, Bayraktar said that no negative findings had been encountered in these samples.

Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Mehmet Özhaseki, who was among the ministers visiting the region on February 21, also stated that samples were being taken daily for hazardous waste, saying, "No toxic waste has been detected so far."

Following the incident, statements were made that the massive pile of soil sliding toward the Euphrates River consisted of materials washed with cyanide and sulfuric acid.

It was noted that the distance of the mine to the river is 300 meters as the crow flies.

Regarding the allegations of a cyanide leak, Minister of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change Mehmet Özhaseki responded with the words, "The issue of whether the hazardous waste there reaches the Euphrates is very important. It is good news, thankfully, no pollution or the event we feared has been encountered so far."

On the first day of the incident, the Ministry announced that the culverts at the point where the Sabırlı Creek reaches the Euphrates River had been closed to prevent the flowing material from reaching the river.

Authorities noted that samples were being taken routinely from designated points along the Sabırlı and Çöpler creeks and the Euphrates River.

The union called on authorities to take precautions for the health and safety of journalists and rescue teams in the region.

In 2022, the Çöpler mine was fined the maximum amount for environmental pollution due to a cyanide leak.

News Source: 12punto