Controversial draft law mandates searches for all airline passengers

ANKARA

A draft law proposed by the Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu has sparked significant reactions by mandating that all passengers, including judges and prosecutors, undergo searches at airport entrances.

The draft law, which seeks to amend civil aviation regulations, introduces stringent security measures at airports.

“All passengers will be searched with a device at the airport entrances. In cases where the device search is insufficient, a manual search will be conducted. Passengers who refuse to submit to a hand search will not be allowed on board,” Uraloğlu summarized the proposal.

The proposed changes have ignited a debate following a lawsuit filed by Judge Aykut Resuloğlu, who contested the necessity of searches for judges, as he was searched at a security checkpoint at Sabiha Gökçen Airport.

The subsequent decision by the 10th Chamber of the Council of State to discuss the issue triggered a significant reaction on social media, with many users expressing privacy concerns.