Turkey’s state of emergency commission to start receiving applications in July

Oya Armutçu – ANKARA

A special commission will start to receive objections to state of emergency rulings, mostly related to the dismissal of public officials, starting next month. 

The commission, under the presidency of Justice Ministry Deputy Secretary Selahaddin Menteş, must receive applications before July 23, as per a state of emergency decree regulating its work. The Official Gazette will publish the exact date next week, as well as procedures and principles of how the commission will conduct its work.

Meanwhile, the commission will be housed in the former building of the Military Court of Cassation-Military High Administrative Court in Ankara, which had been closed down with a constitutional amendment. The building is expected to be ready in a couple days for the commission to conduct its works, as there is only some equipment left to be moved in.

A total of 110,000 applications are expected to be received by the commission in the first stage. Around 105,000 are expected to be police officers, military officers and civil servants dismissed or suspended from their jobs within the scope of previously issued decree laws, while the rest are expected to be applicants from closed associations, companies and foundations. The commission will examine the objections in an order based on when the relevant state of emergency decrees were issued.

The authorities first announced that the applications to the commission would be made through district governor’s offices or institutions from where civil servants were fired, but it has been announced that the commission will receive the applications through the internet in order to accelerate the process.

If an applicant has already applied to an administrative court to appeal their dismissal, these files will be sent to the commission, which will combine the files.

The commission will function over a period of two years. Those who want to appeal against the commission’s decision will be able to apply to certain Ankara administrative courts, which will be determined by the Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSK).

The commission was established with a decree law issued on Jan. 23 and consists of seven members. Along with the seven members, a team of 200 people including inspectors, law officials, accountants, investigation judges and transcribers will also work within the commission.