Election held amidst tight security measures

ANKARA

The Interior Ministry has implemented extensive security measures across Türkiye to ensure the smooth conduct of the presidential runoff election.

With the aim of maintaining public order and safety, nearly 600,000 security personnel have been assigned nationwide. Among them are 324,409 police officers, 193,879 gendarmeries, 2,640 coast guards, 58,648 security guards and 17,189 volunteers.

In addition to the significant presence of security personnel, a fleet of 73 helicopters, eight aircrafts, 61 UAVs, 754 TOMAs (riot control vehicles), and 244 boats-ships have been prepared for duty to swiftly respond to any contingencies that may arise.

The ministry’s security and emergency situations coordination center (GAMER) functioned as the central hub for election operations. The center maintained live monitoring of developments in all 81 provinces.

Moreover, a dedicated security center has been established at the General Directorate of Security, facilitating live videoconferencing connections with each province. Real-time imagery captured by helicopters, UAVs, and drones was instantly transmitted to the center.

In a bid to tackle potential disinformation, election crimes, and provocative social media posts, specialized “combat cybercrime teams” have been deployed. Some legal actions were taken against individuals found sharing posts containing criminal elements on social media.

Despite the possibility of power outages, arrangements have been made to ensure uninterrupted power supply through generators and alternative power sources. Adequate lighting systems were also maintained in coordination with relevant institutions. Precautions have been taken to address any untoward incidents in public areas, tourist destinations, airports, seaports, bus terminals, train stations, markets, malls, and other crowded locations.

Meanwhile, bus terminals, especially Istanbul’s Esenler Coach Terminal, witnessed significant activity due to the second round of elections as Turkish citizens residing outside their hometowns, including those displaced by recent earthquakes, have been seen flocking to bus stations, airports, and train stations to cast their votes.