The Republic of Turkey is preparing to hold its presidential and parliamentary elections, which will take place on May 14, through a number of precautionary measures, to ensure a safe conduct of the electoral process.
These precautionary measures include measures from land, air and sea, through the deployment of a large number of security personnel, helicopters and drones, and even boats and ships.
Precautionary measures on the day of the Turkish elections
And the website of the Turkish Ministry of the Interior published a bulletin that included 61 items containing the measures to be taken before, during and after the election day, in order to ensure that the process proceeds in an atmosphere of peace and security.
Among the most prominent of these procedures are the following:
More than 600 thousand personnel to ensure security
One of those items included the appointment of 601,251 individuals within the scope of securing the elections as follows:
- 326,387 members of the General Directorate of Security.
- 196,197 members of the General Command of the Gendarmerie.
- 2,800 members of the Coast Guard Command.
- 58,658 security guards.
- 17,209 volunteer security guards.
Helicopters, warships, drones, ships and boats!
The ministry also confirmed that the necessary measures will be taken at the highest level and implemented accurately to ensure the safety of the president, presidential candidates, ministers and heads of political parties during visits and electoral activities, through the deployment of unmanned helicopters that will fly in the air before, during and after the elections, in addition to the deployment of armored vehicles. In the streets, boats and warships at sea, and will be as follows:
- 73 helicopters.
- 61 IKUs.
- 8 warplanes will be ready.
- 6,708 ZMAs armored vehicles.
- 754 TOMA vehicles.
- 244 boats and warships belonging to law enforcement units.
Undergo training for all personnel who will participate in election work
The ministry also indicated that all personnel who will participate in the elections, especially the security forces, will undergo on-the-job training.
The training constitutes familiarizing them with the legislation related to the elections, the relevant decisions issued by the Supreme Council for Elections, and other issues related to implementation.
Before, during, and after polling day, public officials and security forces will avoid attitudes and behavior that compromise administration impartiality.
The protection measures taken for public buildings, political party buildings, temples, representations of foreign countries and representations of international organizations in Turkey, election offices and similar sensitive points will also be reviewed.
Additional measures will be taken if necessary in public places, tourist areas, airports, seaports, bus stations, train stations, bazaars, shopping malls, subways, etc., especially in urban cities, tourist areas and forest areas. Security measures in places will be reviewed and increased.
Increase the number of patrols on election day
The Turkish government will also take measures that will enable citizens to reach polling stations safely and without harassment from anyone, by increasing the number of motorized and pedestrian patrols, in addition to the following precautionary measures:
- Not to allow anyone to carry a weapon, except for those responsible for maintaining security and order on polling day.
- Vendors and vehicles will not be allowed into polling areas.
- Prohibiting the sale of alcoholic beverages from six in the morning until midnight, and conducting inspections to ensure.
- Close coffee shops, internet cafes and all public entertainment venues during the voting period.
- Security will be tightened in the buildings where the votes will be kept.
- Ban weddings before six in the evening.
Highlight dark areas where vote counting may be delayed
Since the counting and casting of votes may take until late at night, coordination and cooperation will be made with the electoral councils and relevant units to shine bright lights on the places where the ballot boxes are placed and their surroundings.
Security measures will also be taken on the roads and in the buildings that will be kept, while the ballot boxes are being transported to the provincial and district election councils, with the preparation of the counting minutes after the votes have been counted.
In addition, additional measures will be developed and implemented by the governorates, depending on the characteristics of the region and the sensitivities that may occur during the electoral process.
Protection of power distribution centers
In order to ensure the continuity of energy supplies, security guards will be used, in addition to volunteer guards, in order to protect the center of electricity, water, gas, oil pipelines and some other sensitive facilities, in order to ensure that none of them are cut off.
The state will also secure generators and energy sources to be used when necessary in the event of something happening.
Special interest in camera systems
The technical infrastructure of the buildings where the ballot boxes will be located will also be reviewed, and the necessary measures will be taken to activate the security camera and lighting systems.
Social media monitoring
Among the precautionary measures, the “cyber crime teams” monitor social media sites, to monitor possible “misinformation” and “provocative publications” that may be published.
If any violation is detected, the necessary judicial or administrative procedures will be implemented immediately.
On May 14, 2023, all eyes will be on Turkey, which is witnessing presidential and parliamentary elections, the second after amending the constitution from parliamentary to presidential, as the current President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the candidate of the “Public Alliance”, is competing with 3 other competitors: the “candidate” The Nation Alliance” Kemal Kilicdaroglu”, the candidate of the Grandparents Alliance “Sinan Ogan”, and the leader of the country party “Muharram Ince”.
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