2 Passengers Taken out of Quarantine Bus, Prosecutor Launches Investigation

* Photo: Ahmet Bolat / Anadolu Agency (AA)

Click to read the article in Turkish

The İstanbul Gaziosmanpaşa Chief Public Prosecutor's Office has launched an investigation into the incident where two citizens who returned to Turkey last night (March 17) were taken out of the quarantine bus.

As part of coronavirus measures specified by the related Ministries and the Science Board, the citizens who returned from nine European countries would be quarantined in dorms in İstanbul and Kocaeli for 14 days.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), the İstanbul Gaziosmanpaşa Prosecutor's Office has launched the investigation on charge of "acting contrary to quarantine measures."

Making a statement about the two passengers from France, Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu has said, "One passenger who got off the bus with passengers on their way to quarantine on board and another transit passenger to Cyprus have been quarantined."

In his message on Twitter, Soylu has also said, "They will be sent back to Cyprus after being quarantined for 14 days."

Justice Minister: The law will do the necessary

Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gül has also shared a message about the issue on his social media account.

"The law will do what is necessary about the incident where two passengers were taken out of the quarantine bus", Gül has said and added, "No compromise or exceptional intervention is acceptable in this issue."

Stressing that everyone is equal before the law, Minister Gül has also noted that they will be closely following the issue.

What happened?

Arriving in Turkey from Paris in Turkish Airlines (THY) charter flight no. TK1824 last night, the citizens were taken to busses and set off for the quarantine area. Shortly after that, the bus was intercepted by the police on the highway and a passenger named Güzide Sofi was taken out of the bus.

Sayın Bakan @drfahrettinkoca ve sayın @saglikbakanligi ,
Karantinadan kaçırılan yolcunun adı Güzide Sofi. Kaçırıldığı aracın plakası 34 CCP 136. Görüntüleri aşağıda. Halk sağlığı için tehlike olduğu için suç duyurusunda bulunuyorum...#karantinaalenenihlal pic.twitter.com/vHBRqLF0Nk

— Cüneyt Aytaç (@cuneytaytac) March 17, 2020

It was then understood that the passenger was the daughter of Mustafa Sofi, the Northern Cyprus General Director of Civil Aviation.

Sofi and another person were taken out of the bus amid reactions of other passengers and taken to another vehicle by police officers. After the issue was shared on social media, it caused public outrage. (TP/SD)