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🇹🇷 Turkey /Elections & Politics

Justice minister: 16 arrested over forest fires since June 1

From Sabah · () Turkish

Translated from Turkish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Under investigation
  • Turkish Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said authorities identified 70 suspects in investigations into 103 forest fires across 27 provinces since June 1, 2026.
  • Sixteen suspects were arrested, 32 placed under judicial control and arrest warrants issued for two others.
  • In nine new fires reported during the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, prosecutors identified two suspects, arresting one and placing the other under judicial control.

Sixteen people have been arrested in Turkey over forest fires reported since June 1, 2026, Justice Minister Akın Gürlek said, warning that those who start fires deliberately or through negligence will not escape justice.

Gürlek said investigations covered 103 forest fires in 27 provinces and identified 70 suspects. Authorities placed 32 suspects under judicial control, while courts issued arrest warrants for two others.

Those who burn our forests will not escape justice!

· Akın GürlekGürlek's warning about prosecutions over forest fires.

In a separate update covering nine new forest fires during the week of Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, prosecutors identified two suspects. One was arrested and the other was placed under judicial control.

Gürlek said chief prosecutors' offices, police and gendarmerie forces were continuing to investigate the causes of the fires, including possible negligence or intent, and all aspects of the incidents. He said the government was continuing its efforts under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to protect what it calls the country's “Green Homeland.”

No one who targets our Green Homeland or causes our forests to burn through negligence will get away with it.

· Akın GürlekGürlek said legal action against those responsible would continue without concessions.
About this summary

Originally published by Sabah in Turkish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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