Government of Turkey

A man has been detained after he posted a video on social media in which he intimidated an elderly citizen by pretending to be a policeman, supposedly questioning why the old man breaking the curfew.

Turkey will seize factories of protective mask producers unless they agree to sell those devices to the government or companies, the interior minister has warned. 

"We have been trying to deal with this problem for the past two days," Soylu said in an interview on March 22 broadcast live on social media.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan spoke with his Palestinian counterpart Mahmoud Abbas over the phone on March 21, reaffirming Turkey's support to Palestine in its fight against the novel coronavirus.

According to a statement by the Communications Directorate, Erdoğan and Abbas held a phone call to discuss recent developments and regional issues.

Turkish Vice President Fuat Oktay announced on March 20 that Turkey will evacuate its students in countries where air traffic has been suspended.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan issued a decree on March 20 postponing all events related to science, culture and arts until the end of April, as it seeks to contain a surge in coronavirus cases.

In the circular published in the Official Gazette, it was stated that the new type of coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak that emerged in China poses a threat to public health worldwide.

The main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has criticized the government's economic package in the struggle against the coronavirus, announcing its own 27-point Community Solidarity Program.

Turkey's coronavirus relief package will provide $8-9 billion liquidity to the markets in the next three months, Finance Minister Berat Albayrak said on March 19.

"Turkey's economic growth will exceed expectations in the first quarter, with a slight slowdown in March due to the coronavirus," Albayrak told Anadolu Agency.

"There isn't enough food for us or the babies," Jonathan, a Congolese man, said prior to the ship's departure, worried about the health of his wife and child. "We wait and wait. They keep telling us we will leave soon."

He shook his head. "We are migrants, but we have rights."

Through the fence

Photo: Madeleine Speed

Shopping mall investors have called on the government to shut down the malls temporarily as part of measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

The government is working on a long-running criminal enforcement arrangement for prisons, which have a significant risk in the coronavirus outbreak and hold about 300,000 prisoners.

After a meeting for coronavirus precautions on March 18, an "emergency" criminal enforcement meeting was held late on the same day on the issue chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.