The number of provinces with entry and exit restrictions has risen to 10. Restrictions have been imposed on entering and leaving one more province. Following calls for marches by the HDP, some provinces began implementing limits on movement. With this new measure in place, the total number of provinces under restriction has increased to 10.
After the HDP called for marches, provincial governorships moved to take decisive measures. According to the decisions issued by those governorships, the number of provinces with restrictions on entry and exit has reached 10. In response to marches organized by HDP members to protest the removal of certain deputies from office, restrictions on movement had already been applied in nine provinces. Following recent decisions, the Bursa Governorship announced a last-minute development and also imposed entry and exit restrictions there. The announcement states that, starting on June 14, 2020, and continuing through June 20, 2020, entry to and exit from Bursa will be restricted. With Bursa added to the list, the total number of provinces under restriction is now 10. The provinces affected are listed below.
- Adana
- Bitlis
- Hakkari
- Kırklareli
- Edirne
- Kocaeli
- Sakarya
- Van
- Tekirdağ
- Bursa
Statement from the Bursa Governor
The Bursa Governorship issued a statement regarding the measures. It explained that, given the planned actions and events under the banner of the “Democratic Struggle Program,” there is a high risk that these activities could be provoked and escalate into public disorder. For that reason, restrictions on entry and exit across the province were imposed. The statement also cited public health concerns related to the coronavirus pandemic, which has affected millions worldwide and, within the country, an estimated 180,000 people and resulted in approximately 5,000 deaths, as a further reason for limiting movement. In this context, temporary restrictions were applied in line with changes considered under Article 34 of the Constitution.
According to the statement, the constitutional provision that “the right to hold meetings and demonstrations may be restricted by law for the purpose of safeguarding national security, public order, preventing crime, protecting public health or public morality, or protecting the rights and freedoms of others” was taken into account. Accordingly, Article 17 of Law No. 2911 on Meetings and Demonstrations was applied. The measures aim to maintain public order, protect public health, and prevent the spread of the epidemic, resulting in restrictions on entry to and exit from the specified provinces.