State of Emergency Comes to an End

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The State of Emergency, which had been in force across Turkey since July 21, 2016, came to an end today (July 19).

Declared as of 1 a.m. on July 21, 2018, the State of Emergency was previously extended for seven times in three-month periods.

According to the Constitution, in case a mandate foreseeing the extension of State of Emergency is not presented to the Parliament before the deadline previously declared for the State of Emergency, it is deemed that the State of Emergency is automatically abolished. Thus, the State of Emergency in Turkey came to an end as of 1 a.m. today.

The Constitution stipulates that the Statutory Decrees shall also be repealed when the State of Emergency comes to an end. However, considering that the Statutory Decrees contain indefinite regulations pertaining to the general such as discharges and that a recently made law amendment has also amended the Statutory Decrees, it does not seem possible that the decrees in question will be repealed.

It was extended for seven times

The State of Emergency was declared on July 21, 2016 after the coup attempt on July 15, 2016 by the Council of Ministers and the mandate of the Prime Ministry regarding the State of Emergency published on the Official Gazette was presented to the Speaker's Office of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM).

Upon the recommendation of the National Security Council, "with the aim of protecting and reinforcing the democracy, rule of law and freedoms", the mandate of the Council of Ministers foreseeing a 3-month State of Emergency was discussed at the General Assembly of the Parliament on the same day.

After the discussions, as foreseen by the Article no. 120 of the Constitution as well as the Article no. 3, Clause (b) of the Law on State of Emergency, a 90-day State of Emergency was declared as of 1 a.m. on July 21, 2016 all across Turkey.

The State of Emergency was extended for seven times, respectively on October 19, 2016, on January 19, 2017, on April 19, 2017, on July 19, 2017, on July 19, 2017, on January 19, 2018 and lastly on April 19, 2018.

What happened in the last two years?

CLICK - 2 Years of July 15 Coup Attempt with Figures, Reports

With the 36 statutory decrees issued as part of the State of Emergency, 134 thousand 144 people were discharged from their jobs and at least 228 thousand 137 people were arrested.

According to the Human Rights Joint Platform's (İHOP) report covering the period between July 21, 2016 and March 20, 2018 and updated on April 17, 2018, at least 228 thousand 137 people were arrested from July 16, 2016 to March 20, 2018.

45, 415 social media accounts were investigated and legal action was taken against 17,089 social media users on charges of "propagandizing for and praising a terrorist organization; openly declaring relation with terrorist organizations; inciting the public to enmity and hatred; insulting the state officials, targeting the indivisible integrity of the state and the life safety of people and engaging in hate speech."

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency, 283 lawsuits were filed in relation with the coup attempt, 106 of which were concluded as of March 23, 2018. 805 defendants were sentenced to prison, 805 of whom were life imprisonments.

According to the figures announced by the Journalists' Association of Turkey (TGC), over 10 thousand journalists became unemployed.

47 private medical centers and 2,271 private education institutions were closed by statutory decrees. 174 media organizations, 1,414 non-governmental organization and associations, 145 foundations, 15 universities and 19 unions were also closed.

Moreover, trustees were appointed to 99 municipalities. 94 of these municipalities were of the Democratic Regions Party (DBP), 4 of them were of the Justice and Development Party (AKP) and one of them the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). (AS/SD)