New Year ban in Turkey: What is allowed, what is not?

İstiklal Avenue, İstanbul (Photo: AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish (1) (2) / Kurdish

The government has imposed a lockdown and banned all new year celebrations, including those at houses and accommodation places, as part of the coronavirus measures.

A curfew starting at 9 p.m. today (December 31) will be effective until 5 a.m. on January 4, according to a circular released by the Ministry of Interior.

Certain streets and squares will also be closed for those who are exempted from the curfew as well, including tourists.

Some famous tourist destinations, including İstiklal Street and Sultanahmet Square in İstanbul, Kızılay Square in the capital city of Ankara, and Gündoğan Square in the western province of İzmir, will be closed.

While groceries will be open between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. during the curfew, they won't be allowed to sell alcoholic beverages. Liquor shops will remain closed.

Restricted to takeaway and delivery services, cafes and restaurants will be open between 10 a.m. and 12 a.m.

No music broadcast will be allowed in restaurants and hotel halls after 10 p.m.

Bakeries will be open.

People will be allowed to go to the closest mosque for Friday prayers without using a vehicle.

On New Year's Eve, 34,247 security personnel, including 4,871 gendarmerie officers, 24,298 police officers, 4,918 night guards and 160 coast guards, will be on duty in İstanbul, said Governor Ali Yerlikaya.

"Restrictions violate the Constitution"

The Ministry of Interior announced on Monday (December 28) that 40,591 people faced legal or administrative action for failing to comply with the curfew last week.

Gökmen Yeşil, the head of the Progressive Lawyers' Association (ÇHD) İstanbul Branch, told bianet that neither the police nor governors' offices have the authority to fine people.

"Be it a natural disaster or an epidemic, administrative authorities cannot give any decisions that are not clearly defined by laws," he said. "Reasons such as public interest or general health cannot be an excuse for ignoring the principle of legality."

"Curfews are a practice that restricts, or even eliminates, fundamental rights and freedoms, most notably the right to liberty and security, freedom of travel and the right to work," he said, adding that it violates rights and freedoms described in article 13 of the Constitution.

Those who are fined should appeal within 15 days, he added. (AS/VK)