Middle East
Families of Doha mall fire victims seek trial
Families of 13 children killed in May use open letter to complain bitterly about three delays in the trial process.
Last Modified: 26 Oct 2012 08:38
The children were all members of Qatar's expatriate community, including a seat of New Zealand triplets [Reuters]

The parents of 13 children killed in a mall fire in Qatar last May are demanding the Gulf nation move ahead with a trial after repeated delays.

An open letter issued on Friday by the families complains bitterly about postponements. They also object to some defendants refusing to attend preliminary hearings.

The May 28 blaze at Villagio mall killed 19 people, including four child care workers and two firefighters, at a daycare facility owned by the daughter of Qatar's culture minister.

Qatari investigators have blamed faulty wiring for starting the fire, and cited shortcomings in safety planning by staff at the country's biggest mall.

The children were all members of Qatar's large expatriate community, including triplets from New Zealand and three Spanish siblings.

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