ANKARA
Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu promised Wednesday the new domestic security law would not limit democratic rights of its citizens such as the right to peaceful demonstration and freedom of speech.
"We will introduce no practices different from the European countries that have a democratic legal system," he told the media after he was given a briefing at the Turkish Interior Ministry.
Following recent violent pro-Kurdish protests that left 34 people and two policemen dead across the country, the Turkish cabinet had decided last Monday to bring in a new internal security law that would give even more powers to the Turkish security forces.
Davutoglu said their aim was not to solely take security measures, but to build a safe environment for all citizens on solid foundations "where the right to demonstrate and freedom of expression can be well-protected."
"We are working to draft the framework of a security reform in compliance with the European Union standards in order to keep the balance between freedoms and restrictions," he added.
The premier said the new law would also improve the training and equipment of Turkish security forces. “In fact, the law will also ensure the safety of demonstrators themselves,” he said.
He said the new law would enable security forces “to prevent crimes” without waiting for a search warrant permit from the public prosecutor.
"Because, you cannot prevent a crime as long as the measures to be taken for prevention are bound by the process after a crime is actually committed," he said.
The prime minister gave the example of the recent killings of the two policemen during the violent protests in eastern province Bingol, where the security forces could not act in time to prevent the deaths because of a legal lacuna.
He said the new security law would now regard throwing Molotov cocktails a crime at par with throwing bombs since such improvised incendiary weapons were used to set ambulances and public buildings afire.
According to official figures, 531 police cars and 631 civilian vehicles were set on fire during the protests. Around 122,000 buildings, including 214 schools, museums and libraries were also damaged.
He also criticized demonstrators for wearing masks during their protest rallies. "For what reason does a peaceful protester hide his identity?"
He said there was a ban on the use of such masks at public gatherings and demonstrations in the EU and the U.S.
"The person wearing the mask is declaring that he is hiding his identity and ready to commit a crime," Davutoglu said.
He said the reform would also serve as a guarantee for freedoms because it makes provisions for penalties on security forces that abuse their authority.
"They can be called to account before the law if they abuse their powers," he said.
He said the security forces were not being granted limitless authority. “All will be limited, restricted and defined authorities," he said.
- Turkey will not allow citizens to fight in Kobani
Davutoglu said Wednesday Turkey would not permit its nationals to fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or the ISIL, in the Syrian town of Kobani.
"We do not want any of our nationals to fight in Syria and we are trying to stop those who illegally cross the border," Davutoglu revealed.
He said he was aware of the dead bodies of Turkish nationals of Kurdish origin arriving from Kobani, where fierce clashes are taking place between Kurdish groups and the ISIL militants. He said this caused him “sorrow.”
The prime minister said Turkey would not allow its nationals to join the fight in Kobani, whether they are pro-ISIL or supporters of Syrian opposition or pro-Kurdish groups.
He slammed Selahattin Demirtas, opposition leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party, or the HDP, for his remarks last Tuesday in which he said “tens of thousands Kurdish youth” were supposedly ready to take on the ISIL if only the Turkish-Syrian border gates into Kobani were opened.
"If any Syrian wants to go to Syria for fighting, the border gates are open for them, but they themselves do not want to go," he said.
He said around 300 members of the Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or the PYD, had laid down their arms in Syria and took refuge in Turkey.
"Just a small group of them wanted to cross the border to fight the ISIL militants, whereas the majority wanted to stay safely in Turkey," the premier said.
"What can we do? Do we force them to go back?" he asked.
He said the Turkish Republic safeguards all nationals regardless of their ethnicities.
The prime minister reiterated his determination to “never open” the borders for foreign fighters and said Turkey had implemented measures to prohibit such groups from entering the conflict zones via their country.
“The Turkish border gates are open only for humanitarian aims,” he said.
He also condemned those who viewed Turkey as a source of the problem in the region and said their country was never responsible for clashes in Syria and Kobani.
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