Turkish Authorities Ban Public Gatherings and Activities in Mardin Citing Security Risks
Authorities in Türkiye, have banned all public gatherings and marches for five days starting Jan. 27 in Mardin province, citing security risks and the need to prevent violence linked to cross-border tensions.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - Authorities in Türkiye on Tuesday implemented a comprehensive ban on all public gatherings and outdoor activities in southeastern province of Mardin, citing the necessity of maintaining public order and social peace amidst escalating regional tensions.
The gubernatorial order, which effectively suspends the right to assembly throughout the province for a five-day period, includes specific restrictions on travel for individuals suspected of intending to participate in demonstrations.
The Mardin Governorate announced that the ban would take effect at 00:01 on Jan. 27 and remain in force until 23:59 on Jan. 31, 2026.
According to the official statement, the measure was enacted after an evaluation of the potential effects of "internal and cross-border developments." Officials stated that the primary objective of the decision is to protect public security and prevent the occurrence of violent incidents that could disrupt the social fabric of the province.
A centerpiece of the governorate’s decision is the prohibition of a specific march that had been scheduled to occur on Tuesday afternoon.
Organizers had planned to hold a gathering at 1:00 p.m. at Newroz Square in the Nusaybin district. Nusaybin, located directly on the border with Syria, has become a focal point for local demonstrations.
The governorate characterized the planned march as a potential pretext for activities that could destabilize public order, prompting the preemptive suspension of the event.
The scope of the restrictions is expansive. Under the terms of the communiqué, the following activities are strictly prohibited in public spaces throughout Mardin: all forms of gatherings, marches, rallies, and the delivery of press statements.
The order further outlaws protest sit-ins, hunger strikes, and the assembly of temporary structures such as tents or stands. Beyond physical gatherings, the governorate has banned the distribution of printed materials, including leaflets and brochures, and the public display of posters or banners.
In an effort to enforce the measure, the governorate has also authorized significant restrictions on transit. The decision limits the movement of both individuals and vehicles "estimated to be participating in gatherings and marches."
These restrictions apply to entry into and exit from the Mardin provincial center, as well as the passage of potential demonstrators from neighboring provinces into Mardin.
The Mardin Governorate justified the measure through several national statutory frameworks.
According to the statement, the administrative action is based on Articles 17 and 19 of the Law on Meetings and Demonstrations (No. 2911), which grant authorities the power to postpone or prohibit assemblies under specific security conditions.
Furthermore, the governorate cited sub-sections A, B, and C of Article 11 of the Provincial Administration Law (No. 5442), which defines the duties and powers of governors regarding the preservation of peace and security within provincial borders.
Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that the ban is scheduled to remain in effect until Saturday evening. The agency noted that the restrictions apply to all public venues, with the exception of official government-sanctioned events.
The implementation of the Mardin ban follows a similar administrative precedent set in the neighboring province of Diyarbakir. In that province—long considered a primary center for Türkiye’s Kurdish population—authorities implemented a nearly identical suspension of public activities from last Friday until Monday.
The heightened security posture by Turkish authorities follows a period of significant unrest along the Syrian frontier. Last week, in the town of Nusaybin, more than a thousand protesters attempted to breach the border gate between Türkiye and Syria.
According to reports, that demonstration was an expression of local opposition to Türkiye’s ongoing military operations in the Kurdish-majority regions of northern Syria.
The governorate’s statement emphasized that the current ban is a necessary step to ensure that public security is not compromised by the convergence of internal political demands and the volatile security environment across the border.