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Ombudsman Institution

with the pandemic and to prepare them to act in line with the measures to be
taken. With the slogan “The coronavirus is not stronger than the measures we
will take”, individual protection table was prepared to raise the awareness of
the citizens against the pandemic and to prevent them from being infected.
At the preparation stage, the disease was perceived as a global pandemic, and
a human-oriented and non-discriminatory fighting approach was embraced.

As part of measures, the mid-term break of all schools was scheduled to
an earlier time, suspending primary, secondary and high schools for a week
as of March 16, and as of 23 March, distance education via internet and TV
started. Furthermore, as of 16 March 2020, the education at the universities
was suspended for three weeks at the first stage. All sports events were held
without any spectators until the end of April. The public officials were allowed
to go abroad only by permission. It was recommended that unless necessary,
citizens should not go abroad and those who have recently returned abroad
should isolate themselves for 14 days at home.

At the hospitals, visitor restriction was imposed. The public officials with
any chronic illness were allowed to easily take a leave of absence. Such measures
which were taken at the first stage continued throughout the fighting process.

Regarding the Penitentiary Institutions, protective measures were taken
on 13-16-27-30 March 2020 step by step based on the new developments.
For instance, prison visits were suspended, transfers between prisons were
suspended except for security or sickness reasons, those who showed
COVID-19 symptoms would not be put into prison before a health check
and treatment, and if there is a positive case, the proper measures would be
implemented. Upon the recommendation of the Scientific Board, only the
hearings where the defendants are remanded in custody and “urgent hearings”
would be held and non-urgent hearings would be suspended until 30 April
2020 throughout the country.

To minimize the risk of COVID-19 transmission; all the events such as
ceremonies, organizations, weddings, funerals, conferences, meetings, mass
prayers at mosques were suspended. Besides, the shopping malls, restaurants,
cafes, hairdressers, etc. were closed. And at a later stage, lockdowns were

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