The Turkish Parliament approved a three-month state of emergency Thursday by a vote of 346-115. The last state of emergency in Turkey lasted from July 1987 to November 2002.
The approval came hours after the government declared the state of emergency late Wednesday (July 20), “in order to eliminate the terror organization which attempted to make a coup, swiftly and completely,” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced.
The state of emergency allows law enforcement officers to shot individuals who violate surrender orders or attempt to exchange fire — or in self-defense.
Detentions can be extended beyond 48 hours, which is the normal maximum for detentions before suspects must be tried by a court under the Turkish Constitution.
A state of emergency allows authorities to impose limited or full crfews and to prevent gatherings, impose travel bans at certain times and in various places.
Body, vehicle and property searches and seizure of potential evidence has been authorized, and people have been ordered to carry identification with them at all times.
The government has been authorized to ban publication, distribution and replication of newspapers, magazines, pamphlets, books and leaflets, and to seize publications that were banned before.
Controlling, recording and banning certain speeches, scripts, pictures, films, records, theaters and films — as well as audio and image records and all audio-related broadcasts have also been authorized.
Individuals and groups can be blocked from entering certain places, and removed from others; public gatherings and meetings, marches and parades can be banned or postponed. Operations of association can also be stopped.
Erdogan urged Turkish citizens to be wary of “speculations,” according to an article posted on the Turkish Hurriyet Daily News website. He added the state of emergency was not synonymous with martial law.
“Restrictions on rights and liberties during the state of emergency are not in question. There is no such thing. We guarantee it,” Erdogan said.
But the move has already had an effect on everyday Turkish citizens: a Turkish business contact who was slated to travel to the United States abruptly “postponed” those plans, citing “recent developments in Turkey.”
In a brief email to a source who requested anonymity out of concern for his safety, the contact said he could not say when he might be able to reschedule. The source told JewishPress.com he was so concerned for his friend’s safety, he could not even respond with an email to ask for details about the family or what was happening in the company.