After the 15 July attempted military coup governors and district governors have been governing regions and cities through emergency law.

Despite the State of Emergency having lifted, arbitrary decisions and bans are still in place.

The Governorate of Van has not been allowed to make a public press conference in Van for 932 days. The Governorate recently canceled the Gezici festival, which was planned to be held in Van, for ‘security´reasons.

Lawyers from the Van Bar Association applied to the Van 2nd Administrative Court demanding ‘the abolition of the ban’.

The application recalled that in Van is in place the prohibition of all kinds of activities and demonstrations such as marches, meeting, gathering, press release, sit-in, opening of stands and similar activities to be held in open areas.

The lawyers asked for the lifting of the prohibition since it is contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights and the constitution in what they said that the right to organize meetings and demonstrations may be restricted by law, but the prohibition decision has no concrete legal basis.”

Speaking on the subject, lawyer Cemal Demir said the ban had a negative impact on life in Van. Demir said that the ban on actions and activities was made permanent in Van and said that the lawyers would continue their legal struggle to lift the ban.

Demir said that in fact these bans result in a "militarised city. We see armoured vehicles almost every corner. Democratic actions and activities are constitutional rights and can not be banned."