PANDEMIC IN TURKEY
Over 40 thousand people face legal, administrative action for violating curfew
* Photo: Ahmet Bolat - İstanbul
Click to read the article in Turkish
The Ministry of Interior has announced that a legal or administrative action has been taken against 40,591 people who have not complied with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) curfew on December 21-28.
Turkey ended the fourth countrywide weekend curfew today (December 28) aimed at helping to stem the spread of the COVID-19. The curfew began on Friday at 9 p.m. and ended on Monday at 5 a.m.
While the weekend curfews begin on Friday at 9 p.m. and end on Monday at 5 a.m, the curfew is in effect from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays.
In its statement, the Ministry has indicated, "A legal or administrative action has been taken against 40 thousand 591 people in total who have not complied with the restrictions as per the Law on Public Health and the relevant articles of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK)."
The Ministry of Interior has also sent a circular letter to the 81 governor's offices across Turkey and informed them about the countrywide restrictions and curfews to be imposed over the New Year's.
The circular of the Ministry has underlined that not holding New Year's parties is not a "choice", but an "obligation."
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The Ministry of Health announced the latest figures on the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in Turkey yesterday (December 27).
While the daily number of new cases has been announced by the Ministry as 14,205, the number of patients has been announced as 2,806.
254 people have lost their lives due to COVID-19 in Turkey in the last 24 hours. 21,196 people have recovered.
According to the figures announced till today, the total number of cases is 2,147,578 and the death toll has reached 19,878 people in Turkey.
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New Year's restrictions in TurkeySending a circular letter to the governor's offices to restrict New Year's programs of hotels and accommodation facilities amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the Ministry of Interior announced on December 21 that celebrations would not be allowed in hotels and accommodation facilities during the New Year's curfew. Published on the official website of the Ministry as well, the circular has noted that music and other performances will also not be allowed in hotels and accommodation facilities after 10 p.m. on days of the curfew. As reported by the state-run AA, the necessary measures will be taken to ensure that customers staying at hotels and accommodation facilities do not come together in crowds. "A particular attention will be paid to this issue especially at meal times," the circular has underlined. While the law enforcement officers will be inspecting whether these restrictions are observed or not during the curfew, an administrative action will be taken as per the relevant articles of the Law on Public Health and Law for Encouragement of Tourism in the event of a violation and a legal action will be taken as per the Article 195 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), if the related action of a person is considered to constitute a crime. 4-day curfew over New Year'sPresident and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also addressed the reporters following the Cabinet meeting in the capital city of Ankara on December 14. Erdoğan announced that as a measure to stem the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), Turkey would have a countrywide curfew spanning the New Year's holiday, from December 31 to early January 4. In addition to ongoing public health measures, the holiday lockdown would last from 9 p.m. on December 31 to 5 a.m. on January 4, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan told reporters after a Cabinet meeting in the capital Ankara. |
(AS/SD)