31,197 people fined over ‘pandemic’ in a week

* Photo: Mustafa Murat Kaynak - Ankara / AA

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Turkey's Ministry of Interior has announced that an administrative and/or legal action has been taken against 31 thousand 197 people in total for failing to abide by the countrywide weeknight and weekend curfews over the past week from February 15 to February 22, 2021.

The country ended the 12th weekend curfew in the early morning hours today (February 22) aimed at helping to stem the spread of COVID-19. The curfew began on Friday at 9 p.m. and ended on Monday at 5 a.m. The curfew is also in effect from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. on weekdays.

In the statement released by the Ministry this morning, it has been indicated that the citizens abided by the curfew to a considerable extent.

The Ministry of Interior has announced that a legal and/or administrative action was taken against 31 thousand 197 people for failing to comply with the restrictions as per the Law on Public Health and/or Turkish Penal Code (TCK) from February 15 to February 22.

According to a recent statement made by Fahrettin Koca, the country's Health Minister, on February 20, Turkey will begin "gradual normalization" starting from the beginning of March. As of February 22, the total death toll from the coronavirus has topped 28 thousand in Turkey.

Courts, legists say that it is unlawful

On the other side, lawyers have long been emphasizing that the fines imposed for failing to comply with the curfews or mask rules are not lawful and different courts in Ankara, Adana and Bolu provinces have cancelled the fines, which also confirms the comments of lawyers.

CLICK - 'Police don't have the authority to "fine citizens on the street"'

İstanbul Branch Chair of the Progressive Lawyers Association (ÇHD) Gökmen Yeşil previously spoke to bianet about the issue and underlined that the administrative bodies, i.e. police officers and governor's offices, did not have the authority to impose such fines on people.

In treating the ones violating the curfews and mask obligations amid the pandemic, a fine of 3,180 lira (approx. 425 USD) is imposed on citizens as per the Article 282 of the Law no. 1593 on Public Health. Accordingly, Yeşil also questioned the reason why the fine is imposed on the upper limit (3,180 lira) while the lower limit as per the Tax Procedure Law is 789 lira. (AS/SD)