Although the headscarf ban in the public sector lifted in 2013, and in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) in 2017, the 2nd Main Maintenance Factory Manager of Kayseri Colonel İlhan Coşkun, with an internal order, imposed a headscarf and beard ban on the personnel and their families in the factory.
Public opinion and opinion leaders reacted to what happened.
“THE POWER CHANGED NOT THE LEGAL REGULATION”
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kamalak, former Chairman of Saadet Party and Member of the High Advisory Board, "Unfortunately, Turkey is governed by power as it is not a state of law. Power prevails. As such, people who see themselves as powerful or who use the authority of the state attempt such events. In a friendly assembly where people with different worldviews were present, I said the following; The Virtue (Fazilet) Party was closed down because Mrs. Merve Kavakçı entered the Parliament with a headscarf. Was there a legal regulation at that time? So that headscarved people cannot enter the parliament. Now, has there been a change in the law in the Constitution, so that deputies and ministers can enter the Parliament while wearing headscarves? What happened? In laws etc. There was no change, only the power changed," he said.
REGULATION IS REQUIRED TO PREVENT ARBITRARINESS
Kamalak underlined the necessity of legal regulation and said following words:
"Unfortunately, legal regulation is required to avoid arbitrariness. There is no need for a law on fundamental rights. However, I believe that there is a need to regulate the law, since ideological thought takes precedence over the law with right. However, I think the government does not regulate the law with the idea of 'keep me in power'. It also wants to give the message, "If I leave the government, all the rights that you have won will be taken from you again". I think it may not be making the law for that reason."
Constitutional Lawyer Prof. Dr. Mustafa Kamalak also said that the solution of the issue can be finalized with an article and pointed to that article.
Kamalak underlined that the problem will be solved permanently by adding a paragraph to Article 24 of the Constitution, which regulates the Freedom of Religion and Conscience,
"It could be this. Article 24 of the Constitution carries the title of freedom of religion and conscience. The following paragraph can be added to this article. ‘Disguise and dress are free provided that they are not contrary to customs and general morality.’ In this way, the problem is solved. That's all," he added.
YUSUF YAZGAN, GENERAL PRESIDENT OF THE "MEMUR-SEN", MADE A JOINT CALL ON THE GOVERNMENT AND THE OPPOSITION
Bringing the event in Kayseri to the agenda for the first time, "Büro Memur-Sen" labour union Chairman Yusuf Yazgan said that the re-emergence of an issue that was settled in a certain social framework politically together with the government and its opposition, and that was resolved among the sections, did not benefit the country, but harmed the country.
"IT MUST HAVE A LEGAL FOUNDATION"
Yazgan also underlined that the problem will become stronger with a legal regulation in this sense.
"The issue should be strengthened with a legal regulation. Not everyone should apply it according to their own mind. There was a social consensus on this issue. In the past, people paid a very serious price during the February 28 processes. This issue needs to be brought to a legal basis," he said.
"THE GOVERNMENT AND THE OPPOSITION SHOULD ALSO GUARANTEE CONSTITUTIONALLY"
Addressing both the government and the opposition in his statement, Yazgan pointed out the necessity of a regulation considering the constitutional dimension of the issue.
Yazgan, "Specifically, what's happening these days is a complete fiasco. Is such a thing acceptable? Memur-Sen started this issue in 2013 by collecting one million signatures. The issue has been resolved. On the other hand, the TAF was dissolved in 2017. The government and the opposition should come together and put the issue of dress on their agenda in terms of religious freedoms, provided that it is not contrary to general custom. These rights must be legally and constitutionally guaranteed," he said.
COLONEL İLHAN COŞKUN IS DISMISSED FROM DUTY
Although the headscarf ban in the public sector was lifted in 2013 and in the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) in 2017, Colonel İlhan Coşkun, the 2nd Main Maintenance Factory Manager of Kayseri, imposed a headscarf and beard ban on the factory personnel and their families with an internal order issued.
Colonel İlhan Coşkun suspended within the scope of the investigation initiated by the Ministry of National Defense.