Turkish military personnel to get regulation for time off for Friday prayers

KOCAELİ – Cihan News Agency

Cihan Photo

The Turkish Chief of General Staff has announced that necessary measures will be taken to ensure time off for Friday prayers for military personnel.

The Chief of Staff has issued a circular to related institutions in line with a recent legal change allowing public servants to attend Friday prayers without interrupting office hours.

“The garrison command will take necessary measures regarding regional and seasonal factors and needs at service and military post facilities, in a way that will not cause any shortcomings,” the circular read.

The legal arrangement allowing for public servants to attend Friday prayers without interrupting their office hours went into force, after a circular from the Turkish Prime Ministry was published in the Official Gazette on Jan. 8.

On Jan. 15, the Education Ministry also adopted the regulation for time off for Friday prayers, enabling schools to adjust their schedules and extend lunch breaks for teachers.

Unlike several other Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East, Turkey officially uses the standard Monday-Friday working week employed in the West.