Turkey passes controversial bill giving 'nightwatchmen' almost same power as police

Turkey’s parliament reportedly passed a controversial bill on June 10 giving “nightwatchmen”, who patrol the street to report theft and burglaries, almost the same powers as police. Critics are accusing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of wanting to build a loyal “militia” after the failed coup of 2016 against him.

The nightwatchmen institution attached to interior ministry boasts of over 28,000 members who will now be allowed to carry firearms. They have also been vested with powers to stop and search people that was earlier only allowed to police. Erdogan’s AKP party argued in the parliament that the new law will enable the nightwatchmen to assist law enforcement agencies in a better way.

“People have lost their jobs and their salaries...What good is the watchmen to them? An under-educated mass that will perhaps act as a morality police is being unleashed on society,” ” said pro-Kurdish Peoples’ Democratic Party legislator Filiz Kerestecioglu.

According to a presidential ruling in the Official Gazette, Erdogan also appointed new governors in 41 provinces. He shuffled 23 governors between provinces and another 18 were newly appointed. As many as 17 former governors were appointed as chief civil inspectors and one was appointed as a top advisor to Erdogan.

Read: Erdogan Imposes Three-day Lockdown In Turkey, Says Similar Restrictions Would Continue

Minimal restrictions

Erdogan also held a press conference on June 10 following the meeting of the Presidential Cabinet where he discussed the steps to gradually minimise the restrictions. The 66-year-old Turkish leader said that the country has dealt with the pandemic with minimum restrictions, fatalities and economic problems, particularly in comparison to Europe.

Turkey has reported over 173,000 cases of coronavirus with more than 4,700 deaths related to infectious disease so far. As the rate of COVID-19 cases has declined, Erdogan emphasised that people should rearrange their lives in accordance with the principles of mask, distance and hygiene until this plague is fully eradicated.

“It is not enough that solely our country defeats the pandemic because the rest of the world should also display the same performance. In this regard, we should get used to the fact that what we call the new normal will continue for a little longer,” said Erdogan.

Read: Turkey: Erdogan Backs Cleric Who Claims Homosexuality Brings Disease

Read: Trump And Erdogan Discuss 'worsening Foreign Interference’ In Libya

(Inputs / Image: AP)