COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS LIFTED

Music ban after midnight still in force in Turkey: ‘Does music transmit COVID-19?’

Turkey has lifted the outdoor mask mandate and contact tracing code requirement; however, the ban on music after midnight, which was introduced as part of the pandemic measures, is still in place. The entertainment industry is outraged.

İstanbul

Music ban after midnight still in force in Turkey: ‘Does music transmit COVID-19?’

* Photo: Canva

Click to read the article in Turkish

Minister of Health Fahrettin Koca addressed the public following the meeting of the Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board yesterday evening (March 2) and announced that the outdoor mask mandate and contact tracing code (HES code) requirement have been lifted in Turkey.

While musicians have protested, underlining that the ongoing restrictions on music after 12 pm should also be lifted, Health Minister Koca indicated that "the Science Board has not made a decision about the music ban." Koca added, "I think it will be lifted in the near future."

About the lifted restrictions

"We no longer have to wear masks outdoors," Health Minister Fahrettin Koca told reporters following the meeting of the Coronavirus Scientific Advisory Board yesterday. Minister Koca also said that if ventilation is sufficient in closed environments and social distancing rules can be followed, it is "no longer necessary" to wear a mask indoors either.

In another change, the use of HES codes – Turkey's coronavirus contact tracing system – has been lifted, and the public will no longer have to show their code at the entrance to any building or event, said Minister Koca.

When he announced the music ban on June 21, 2021, President and ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) Chair Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated, "We are extending the restriction regarding music to 24.00. Excuse me but nobody has the right to disturb anyone at night."

CLICK - Government faces backlash after lifting all COVID-19 measures but music ban at night

Amid the lifting of COVID-19 measures and requirements, musicians and citizens have asked on social media why the music ban is still in place:

Covid-19 pandemisiyle ilgili tüm yasaklar kalktı. Ama saat 24.00’ten sonraki müzik yasağı kalkmadı. Ne yapalım? Barlara ve konser salonlarına “Ölüm tehlikesi var-Girilmez” tabelası mı asalım! #MüzikYasağıKalksın @TC_icisleri @suleymansoylu
— Beyoğlu Esnafı (@beyogluesnafi) March 3, 2022

Beyoğlu Shopkeepers: "All bans related to COVID-19 pandemic have been lifted. But the ban on music after midnight has not. What are we supposed to do? Are we supposed to put signs on bars and concert halls that read 'Death risk - Don't enter'? Lift the music ban."

Maske zorunluluğu ve HES kodu sorgulaması bittiyse, istediğin saate kadar şarkını söylemelisin güzel arkadaşım. Böyle zor bir dönemde müzik ve eğlence sektörünün önü açılmalı ve 12.00’de müziğin susma kararı kaldırılmalıdır! Acil açıklama bekliyoruz.
— demet sağıroğlu (@demetsagiroglu) March 2, 2022

Musician Demet Sağıroğlu: "If the mask madate and HES code requirement are over, you should sing your song until whatever hour you like, my dear friend. The way should be cleared for the music and entertainment industry in such a difficult period and the ban silencing music after 12 must be lifted! We are expecting an immediate explanation."

Bütün pandemi yasakları kalktı, hala müzik yasağı neden kalkmadı? Bir tek bulaştıran müzik mi kaldı?
— Armagan Çağlayan (@Armagan_caglaya) March 2, 2022

TV producer, lawyer, YouTuber Armağan Çağlayan: "All pandemic bans have been lifted, but why is the ban on music still not lifted? Is there now only music left that tranmits [the virus]?

Hes kodu uygulaması da kalktığına göre 00:00’dan sonra müzik yasağının devam etmesinin pandemiyle alakalı tek 1 mantıklı sebebini söylesinler. Hiçbir mantıklığı sebep olmadığı için biz söyleyelim: müzik yasağı tamamen ideolojik ve gerici bir uygulamadır ve acilen kaldırılmalıdır.
— Gaye Su Akyol (@GayeSuAkyol) March 2, 2022

Musician Gaye Su Akyol: "Considering that the HES code requirement has also been lifted, let them make one reasonable explanation as to how the ongoing ban on music after 12 is related to the pandemic. As there is no reasonable explanation, let us say: The music ban is an entirely ideological and reactionist practice and it must be urgently lifted."

Müzik coronadan çok daha tehlikeli … bulaşıcı ve aşı, maşıyla vede maskeyle de filan falan önlenemiyecek musubet bir illet…….maske serbest ama kulaklıklara niye yasak yok…..
Kulaklıkla müzik dinleyenlere de yasak gelsin.HAK ADALET HUKUK İSTİYORUZ
— Cahit Berkay (@cahit_berkay) March 3, 2022

Musician Cahit Berkay: "Music is more dangerous than corona ... contagious and a pest that cannot be prevented by vaccines, masks or anything ... mask is free, but why is there no ban on earphones.....

"May a ban be imposed on the ones who listen to music with earphones as well. We want rights, justice, law."

Gece 12'den sonraki müzik yasağı antidemokratik ülkelerde olabilecek rezil bir uygulama, eğer sıkı önlemleri geride bıraktıysak bu yasağı da acil olarak kaldırın artık. Ekonomi bu kadar kötü haldeyken müzik ve eğlence sektörüne yapılan bu ayrımcılığı anlayamıyorum gerçekten...
— EDIS (@edisgorgulu) March 2, 2022

Musician Edis: The ban on music after 12 at night is a scandalous practice that may be imposed in anti-democratic countries; if we now leave the strict measures behind, urgently lift this ban, too. While the economy is in such a bad condition, I really cannot understand this discrimination against the music and entertainment industry..."

Covit 19 kapsamında; sanat denen virüsün en tehlikeli/korkutucu varyantlarından "müzik" ile amansız mücadele, kesintisiz olarak devam ediyor
— SUAVİ (@Suavi_Suavi) March 3, 2022

Musician SUAVİ: "As part of COVID-19, the all-out struggle against one of the scariest/ most frightening variants of the virus called the art, the "music", is continuing without any interruptions." (AÖ/SD)