A magnitude 5.3 earthquake hit Turkey’s eastern province of Elazığ yesterday morning. Releasing a statement regarding the issue, the Chamber of Civil Engineers has said, “Stop acting as if measures were taken; we have already lost so much time.”

Turkish Airlines (THY) has announced that passengers flying to Turkey will be required to submit negative COVID-19 PCR tests as of December 30 amid concerns over a global rise in case numbers and a fast-spreading new strain of the novel coronavirus.

President and ruling AKP Chair Erdoğan has said, “We do not have any particular issue or insoluble problem with Europe, the US, Russia, China or any other country in our region. We are ready to meet, talk, come to an agreement and cooperate.”

The Health Ministry has announced that Turkey’s novel coronavirus (COVID-19) death toll has risen to 19,878. While 254 people have died of the virus in the last 24 hours, the number of new cases has been announced as 14,205.

Arrested for sexually abusing his 3.5-year-old grandchild in İstanbul, Cafer Y. has been released due to the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

The file of Roboski has been closed even though the soldier who joined the bombardment said that they considered the citizens shot in the incident to be doing border trade. The massacre has become one of the symbols of impunity in Turkey.

The court has stated that it was not able to obtain a Turkish translation of the ECtHR ruling and therefore a legal review could not be made.

The bars have reminded that the ECtHR decisions are binding and international conventions are superior to domestic laws.

According to a recent report prepared by the HDP’s Economy Commission, regional poverty has become more severe and women have got poorer in Turkey amid the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.

"We, the people of the region, see the plant's pollution with the naked eye; live and understand how it poisons our lives. However, the authorities don't want to understand this situation," says a local.

President and ruling AKP Chair Erdoğan has said that holding New Year’s parties in hotels or villas will not be tolerated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, adding that “operations might be carried out against the parties in hotels or villas, if necessary.”

The President dismissed the European court decision for the release of Demirtaş, saying that it "can't replace Turkey's courts."

Prof. Şule Özsoy-Boyunsuz, an academic specialized in Constitutional law, has commented on Turkey’s new NGO bill: “The government might wake up one morning, pick an association and shut it down next morning. This law has no predictability.”

While the prosecutor's office has given a decision of non-prosecution on charge of “inciting the public to enmity and hatred”, lawyers Leyla Kaya, Kemal Erdem, Nurullah Öner and former Sakarya Bar Chair Kazan will appeal against the non-prosecution.

Sentenced to prison for sexually harassing assistant physician D.E., physician Aydın started working at the same hospital again. D.E. and 40 other personnel submitted petitions, indicating that they did not want to work with him.

Ministry of Education has announced that face-to-face exams in primary, secondary and high schools scheduled for early January will not be held amid concerns about inequalities aggravated by distance education and health risks amid COVID-19 pandemic.

Calling on the government to abandon the Canal İstanbul project, which foresees an artificial sea-level waterway between the Black Sea and Marmara Sea, İstanbul Mayor İmamoğlu says, “İstanbul, İstanbulites and this country do not need irrational projects.”

Ankara Medical Chamber has made a statement about the arrest of Dr. Gökalp, the High Honorary Board member and former Central Council member of Turkish Medical Association: “His arrest is used to oppress professional organizations.”

The government's ally has dismissed the European court ruling and reiterated that the HDP must be closed.

With a Presidential Decree, the term of office of the Commission for the Examination of Proceedings under the State of Emergency has been extended for another year. Over 16 thousand applications are reportedly still in examination.