Five provinces have banned soldier send-off gatherings. Following restrictions imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic, Turkey began normalization efforts on June 1, 2020, while continuing to adopt new precautionary measures. Under recent decisions designed to prevent further spread of COVID-19, soldier send-off events are now prohibited in five provinces. The governors’ offices have announced the following provinces where these gatherings are banned:
- Istanbul,
- Ankara,
- Kahramanmaraş,
- Hatay,
- Kayseri.
The Istanbul Provincial Public Health Board met urgently and issued significant decisions regarding soldier send-offs. The Istanbul Governor’s Office published an official notice on its website announcing the ban on such events due to the coronavirus. Accordingly, holding celebrations in open or closed spaces, forming vehicle convoys, mass farewells and similar activities are prohibited. The Istanbul Governor’s Office was the first to announce the ban; Hatay, Ankara, Kayseri and Kahramanmaraş governorates later released their own decisions, confirming that soldier send-offs are banned in their provinces as well.
What measures were taken to prevent the risks posed by soldier send-off gatherings?
- No gatherings that create uncontrolled crowds or violate physical distancing rules for soldier send-offs will be permitted under any circumstances.
- For farewells at locations such as bus terminals, train stations or airports, only immediate family members will be allowed to participate. Group send-offs that include relatives beyond the immediate family, acquaintances, friends or others are strictly prohibited.
- Conscripts will be required to sign a declaration stating that, from the moment their transfer is arranged by the military recruitment offices until they report to their unit, they will not take part in farewell activities or any events that violate pandemic measures, especially physical distancing. A template of this commitment will be provided.
- Recruitment offices must forward a copy of the signed declaration from each conscript to the relevant district governor’s office (kaymakamlık).
- To manage the public health risk, district governorates will notify the relevant military units of conscripts who face administrative or criminal proceedings for organizing or participating in farewell events, celebrations, ceremonies or convoys that contravene pandemic rules.
- Citizens who fail to comply with the measures above may be fined under Article 282 of the Public Health Law. Actions will be carried out in accordance with the relevant provisions of the law, and, where behavior constitutes a criminal offense, necessary administrative steps will be initiated under Article 195 of the Turkish Penal Code. Inspections and controls will be intensified during special transfer periods.
These steps aim to limit activities that increase infection risk while allowing essential travel and military transfers to proceed with as little public health impact as possible. Authorities emphasize adherence to pandemic rules to protect community health and to avoid administrative or legal consequences.