Erdoğan advocates introduction of death penalty for forest arson

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan supported the initiative to impose the death penalty for forest arson.

"If the punishment should be a deterrent measure, then the death penalty should be imposed for setting fire to the forest," Erdoğan said in Marmaris, where firefighters are extinguishing a large-scale natural fire that has covered an area of 3,000 hectares for the third day, TASS reports.

He added that "the issue should be discussed".

Turkish Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Vahit Kirişci previously stated that the Turkish authorities suspect sabotage in connection with the forest fires in Marmaris. The regional forestry administration of Mugla province specified that two helicopters are involved in extinguishing the fire, but due to strong gusts of wind, it continues to spread.

In the first phase, fire brigades were involved in fighting the fire, both on the ground and from the air.