CIRCULAR ON THE RULES TO BE ADHERED IN RELATION TO THE MEASURES ON COVID-19 PARTIAL CURFEW

Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus
Ministry of Interior
23 March 2020

CIRCULAR ON THE RULES TO BE ADHERED IN RELATION TO THE MEASURES ON COVID-19 PARTIAL CURFEW

1- The Decree on Partial Curfew (by virtue of Article 2 and the relevant articles of Chapter 156) was published in the Official Gazette on 22 March 2020 and has come into force. The curfew has taken effect at 00:00 on 23 March 2020 and will remain in effect for a period of 14 days.

2- The Council of Ministers has exempted from the restrictions imposed by this circular those private and public sector and their personnel, during their working hours, whose services are considered crucial and necessary services.

a- In this connection, all private sector workplaces/businesses and personnel who have been permitted since 8 March 2020 to function by the Council of Ministers and have been open until today are not subject to the restrictions imposed by the curfew. They will continue to function. Private sector employers are required to give their workers a written notice indicating which workplace they are meant to work at, for what purpose/task and during which hours.

Businesses that will remain open are;
Markets, pharmacies, pharmaceutical depots, bakeries, butchers, banks, petrol stations, flour factories, water factories, milk and milk-processing businesses, LPG filling and distribution businesses, private security services, internet providers, institutions providing services which ensure the flow of imports, suppliers, agricultural and animal husbandry businesses, foodstuff suppliers, farmers, greenhouse owners, vegetable wholesalers, animal breeders, private clinics, private laboratories, private hospitals, automobile rescue workers, private media outlets, dormitory services of private universities, emergency administrative teams, GSM and communications service providers, citrus picking workers, packaging workers, accountants working directly with the Ministry of Finance etc, as well as other places permitted to stay open.

b- Written permission/directive slips indicating that they work at the public sector and sectors linked to public institutions will be given by the relevant Ministry to those public sector personnel (including municipalities) who are required to work.

Public Sectors/Institutions that will remain open are;
Health Ministry and health personnel, Finance Ministry and its personnel, hospitals, police, fire department, municipalities, civil defence, district offices, district police authorities, wardens, mukhtars, on-duty courts, BRTK, TAK, TÜK, KIBTEK, Milk Authority, essential departments of state universities, departments of Ministries which are currently open, as well as other personnel who may be called to duty if the urgent need arises.

3- Personnel of all sectors must carry with them the permission/directive slips along with their proof of identification.

4- Aside from those who have left their homes/premises for the purpose benefiting from one of the ongoing services or have special medical needs or have obtained special permission, it is forbidden to: go out, take walks in parks, have picnics, have barbeque/kebab parties, organise leisure gatherings in groups, walk around in groups, do open-air sports or sports training, take leisurely drives in cars, as well as perform similar activities.

5- Law enforcement personnel have been authorized by this decree. Those who act in violation of this decree are considered to have committed a crime and will be subject to up to a year in prison or a fine or both.

6- The Council of Ministers maintains the right to re-evaluate the opening and closing of businesses/institutions on a needs-based basis. Penalties can be imposed on those who do not abide by the rules of open venues. It is obligatory to adhere to the 2-meter distance rule at markets, pharmacies, petrol stations, butchers, bakeries and similar workplaces which are open to provide crucial goods and services. Business owners must rearrange their premises to allow for the 2-meter rule to be applied, and must abide by hygiene and disinfecting rules at entrance and exit points of their workplaces. Additionally, private sector employers must ensure that their personnel maintain a 2-meter distance from one another (example: packaging workers leaving one empty space between them) and must only call to duty the necessary number of personnel to work in their crucial departments.

7- The work permission/directive slips provided to private sector workers by their employers will be checked by police officers along with their identification documents.

8- All permission/directive slips for public and private sector personnel must be prepared and completed within the next 48 hours. Police authorities have been notified and tasked in this regard.

9- If police officers are not satisfied with the presented permission/directive notice slips, the persons in question will be directed to the relevant district offices or police stations to obtain permission.

10- As regards workplaces which continue to function despite not being openly permitted to do so by previous Council of Ministers decisions: It is forbidden to go to homes for cleaning, however, those who are caretakers of ill/elderly persons, as well as those who work to fix water and electricity instalment malfunctions will be permitted to work. For this purpose, if it is decided by police officials during checks that these services address vital needs, they will be able to grant permission. As regards continuous/long-term services, it is obligatory to obtain permission from district offices or relevant police stations.

11- Aside from the above-mentioned examples, those who must leave their homes/premises for non-commercial humanitarian or health-related purposes or who require essential public services towards this end (such as making official declarations) must obtain permission from the relevant district office or police authorities. Situations who fall under this category are: taking medicine, food, supplies etc, to children under quarantine, the elderly who cannot leave their homes, and the ill or disabled.

12- Court orders which require those to appear in person at police stations may leave their homes during specified hours. For child custody visits, it will suffice to present the relevant court order.

13- The telephone numbers which should be used to reach district offices in order to obtain permission slips are given below. Permission slips can also be granted online as well in the form of online permission slips.

Nicosia/Lefkoşa District Office
Tel: 0548 863 71 84

Famagusta/Gazimağusa District Office
Tel: 0533 869 07 69

Kyrenia/Girne District Office
Tel: 0548 859 29 01

Morpou/Güzelyurt District Office
Tel: 0533 871 05 56

İskele District Office
Tel: 0542 855 11 79

Lefka/Lefke District Office
Tel: 0542 850 02 07

Central District Office
Tel: 0542 853 17 45

WHATSAPP MESSAGING LINES

For Nicosia/Lefkoşa: 0548 829 1051

Gazimağusa için : 0548 829 1052

For Kyrenia/Girne: 0548 829 1053

For İskele: 0548 829 1054

For Morphou/Güzelyurt: 0548 829 1055

For Lefka/Lefke: 0548 829 1056

Please kindly be advised.

Ministry of Interior