Police authority to be curbed with regulation

ISTANBUL - Anadolu Agency

Police forces will not have bureaucratic works and will be responsible for providing security in demonstrations. DAILY NEWS photo

The Interior Ministry has moved to limit police authorization in activities regarding the media, unions and political parties, with authority being transferred to bodies operated by the ministry.

With the changes announced by Interior Minister Muammer Güler, authority for tracking the activities of media members for possible crimes committed will be removed from the police, which will have to demand the necessary information from the state run watchdog, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK).

Police directorates’ press departments will be shut down and the police will have to demand the necessary information and documents from RTÜK with the permit of the prosecutor.

Currently, political parties have to submit founding documents to the police departments in their provinces, but with the new regulation they will have to apply to the local governor’s office instead.

The police’s tasks regarding unions and political parties will also be handed to the governors’ offices with the new arrangement, and police forces will henceforth only be responsible for providing security in demonstrations. Political party bureaus in police departments will also be closed down.

In addition, citizens will no longer apply to the police for passports, with the General Directorate of Population and Citizenship Affairs being given responsibility for issuing passports.