Increased Penalties for Unauthorized Use of Emergency Lights and Firearms Enforced by the Grand National Assembly
The law proposal aiming to increase penalties for the unauthorized use of emergency lights and firearms has been approved by the General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly and has now been enacted. The minimum prison sentence for carrying, purchasing, and possessing firearms without a license will be raised from 1 year to 2 years, and the maximum sentence from 3 years to 4 years.
The amendments made to the Internal Officers Law and Some Laws in the 375th Decree Law on the internal security regulations are in line with the Constitutional Court’s annulment decision. According to the amendments made to the Internal Officers Law by the law, candidates for district governors must graduate from domestic universities or foreign universities with at least a 4-year undergraduate degree in international relations, political science, public administration, economics, business administration, finance, econometrics, labor economics, and industrial relations departments, or from other departments that cover at least 80% of the courses in these departments, or from law faculties approved by the Higher Education Board, or have completed at least 4 years of undergraduate education in engineering faculties of universities and have completed postgraduate education with a thesis in international relations, political science, public administration, law, finance, and economics.
Those who have served as district governors for at least 3 years and have been appointed to senior-level public administrator positions by the President or have been elected or appointed to positions in the Presidency and the Turkish Grand National Assembly, mayorship, deputy mayorship, general secretariat in metropolitan municipality organizations, and directorate general positions in metropolitan municipality subsidiaries will have their service periods counted as part of the Civil Administration Services Class.
The examinations and evaluations to determine the first-class civil administration officers will be conducted a maximum of twice a year by the Ministry of Interior.
Those not promoted to the status of first-class civil administration officers may be subject to re-evaluation for first-class examination after the decision date.
The financial rights of those appointed to general director positions in the Ministry of Interior central organization or related and affiliated institutions from provincial governors or those who have served as provincial governors will continue to be based on the payment elements belonging to the governor, excluding payments dependent on actual work, provided that they are in the positions they were appointed to.
Police officers who carry out their duties with courage, sacrifice, heroism, or superior performance may be awarded the “Police Superior Courage and Sacrifice Medal,” “Police Honor Medal,” or “Police Superior Service Medal” by the Minister of Interior.
REGULATIONS REGARDING THE POLICE CARE AND ASSISTANCE FUND
Regulations regarding the Police Care and Assistance Fund are being made in the Police Organization Law. According to this, the fund members will consist of police organization members and those who retire while remaining members of the fund by leaving their membership fees in the fund.
The fund will be a separate legal entity with financial and administrative autonomy, subject to public law in its relations with its members and subject to private law in all other matters.
The revenues of the fund will consist of membership fees, participation fees, any income derived from the investment and activities for the interest of these fees and participation fees, as well as donations and contributions. The membership fee will be 9% of the monthly amount forming the basis for retirement deductions or the earnings forming the basis for premiums. The Fund General Assembly will have the authority to increase or decrease this rate by up to 5 percentage points.
Those who started their duties in the Police Organization cadre before December 28, 2018, and continue their duties in the organization may become members of the Fund. These members will be able to receive their fees, including interest, after three years from their entry into the Fund and leave.
Members of the Fund who are members of the Police Organization will be eligible for retirement assistance, disability assistance, and death assistance, and retired members will receive participation fees, profit shares, and death assistance.
The organs of the Fund, the determination of the board members, the elections, their duties, entry into membership, fees, participation fees, separation from membership, freezing membership, deductions, donations, and participation fees, profit shares, the management of the Fund’s revenues and assets, social services to be provided, inspection and investigation, accounting year, budget, distribution of net profit, and other procedures and principles related to the services it will provide will be determined by a regulation issued by the President.
PARTS OF FIREARMS TO BE INCLUDED IN THE LAW
Components of firearms such as barrels, slides, frames, cylinders, firing mechanisms, extractors, triggers, and firing pins that are essential to the functioning of firearms will be brought within the scope of the Firearms and Knives and Other Tools Law in terms of their import, manufacture, sale, purchase, transportation, or possession.
According to the Firearms and Knives and Other Tools Law, no time limit will be required in the registration and documents granting permission to possess or carry firearms given as gifts. Likewise, no time limit will be required for the registration of firearms given to veterans, their parents, spouses, children, or their heirs.
Documents and records granting permission to possess or carry firearms given as gifts will be exempt from any taxes, fees, or charges.
REISSUING LICENSES FOR STOLEN OR LOST FIREARMS
With the amendment to the Firearms and Knives and Other Tools Law, individuals whose firearms are stolen for the second time or lost for the second time will be granted permission for possession or carrying for a single firearm in new firearm applications. In the event of transferring this firearm, permission for possession or carrying can be granted again. The renewal of the licenses of the owners for firearms that are not lost or stolen will not be evaluated within the scope of these provisions.
Individuals whose firearms are stolen for the third time or lost for the third time will have their firearm licenses revoked, and they will not be granted permission to possess or carry firearms for a period of 5 years from the date of the incident. After 5 years from the date of the incident, these individuals may be granted permission for possession or carrying for a single firearm in new firearm applications.
Those who bring components of firearms such as barrels, slides, frames, cylinders, firing mechanisms, extractors, triggers, and firing pins that are essential to the functioning of firearms into the country, those who facilitate their importation, those who manufacture them outside the law, those who transport them from one place to another, and those who sell them will be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of 5 to 12 years and a fine ranging from 500 days to 5,000 days.
The act of converting a blank-firing weapon capable of firing blanks or similar projectiles by making changes in its technical specifications into a firearm subject to the law will be considered as unauthorized production outside the provisions of the Law on the Inspection of Companies Producing War Vehicles and Equipment, Firearms, Ammunition, and Explosive Materials, and will be penalized. If the converted firearm is not serious in terms of quantity and quality, the penalty imposed will be reduced by one-third to one-half.
The law approved by the General Assembly of the Grand National Assembly and containing regulations on internal security, amends the Internal Officers Law and Some Laws and 375th Decree Law, increasing the minimum sentence for carrying, purchasing, and possessing firearms without a license from 1 year to 2 years, and raising the maximum sentence from 3 years to 4 years. As a result, individuals carrying, purchasing, and possessing firearms without a license will be sentenced to imprisonment for a period of 2 to 4 years.
PENALTIES FOR POSSESSING FIREARM PARTS
Components of firearms such as barrels, slides, frames, cylinders, firing mechanisms, extractors, triggers, and firing pins that are essential to the functioning of firearms, or converting a blank-firing weapon into a firearm subject to the provisions of the law, will result in imprisonment for a period of 2 to 4 years for those who purchase, carry, or possess them.
In cases where the number or quality of firearms, bullets, or components such as barrels, slides, frames, cylinders, firing mechanisms, extractors, triggers, and firing pins that are essential to the functioning of firearms are considered serious, a prison sentence of 5 to 8 years and a fine ranging from 500 days to 5,000 days will be imposed.
Furthermore, if only one firearm and the usual number of bullets or components such as barrels, slides, frames, cylinders, firing mechanisms, extractors, triggers, and firing pins that are essential to the functioning of firearms are found in a residence or workplace, a prison sentence of 1 to 3 years and a fine ranging from 100 days to 500 days will be imposed.
If the possession and carrying act is committed by violating the obligations stipulated in the Law in the issuance or renewal of licenses for reasons such as death, health condition, conviction, confiscation, purchase, or transfer, an administrative fine of 10,000 to 25,000 Turkish Lira will be imposed.
Individuals who transport their licensed firearm to a different residence or workplace without obtaining a transfer permit will be subject to an administrative fine of 10,000 to 25,000 Turkish Lira. The authority to impose administrative fines will lie with the local administrative authorities.
With the amendment to the Notary Law, the signature and seal of the notary public under the transaction made in Turkey and to be used in a foreign country will be approved by the highest civil authority of any province or district.
REAL-TIME REPORTING BY VEHICLE RENTAL COMPANIES
According to the amendments to the Identity Notification Law, the responsible operators and managers of businesses owned by individuals and legal entities engaging in vehicle, ship/marine vessel rental activities will be required to keep records of leased vehicle information, lessee identity information, lease contracts, and all related information, documents, and records in compliance with regulations. They must be ready for inspection at all times by the general law enforcement authorities, connect their computer terminals to the general law enforcement authorities’ computer terminals, and report lessee information and leased vehicle details to the general law enforcement authorities in real-time through the system during vehicle delivery. They will also be required to keep records of the location information of leased vehicles through GPS devices (global satellite navigation system) for 3 years.
Information on whether individuals have ongoing active vehicle leases will be shared with businesses owned by individuals and legal entities engaged in vehicle rental activities based on the data kept by the general law enforcement authorities.
Individuals who do not keep records, connect their computer terminals, maintain false records or provide false information, do not have GPS devices in leased vehicles, or do not keep records of location information will be subject to an administrative fine of 99,896 Turkish Lira issued by the local administrative authorities. In case of repeated offenses within the same calendar year, the last penalty imposed will be doubled. In addition, if the offenses are committed for the fourth time within the same calendar year, business licenses will be revoked.
