Turkish Parliament starts debating security package

A plenary session to discuss a new Turkish security bill on Tuesday is expected to continue until it is completed, a senior figure from the country's ruling party has said.

Belma Satır, AK Party parliamentary group deputy chairman, said the parliamentary debate will start today at the Turkish Grand National Assembly in Ankara.

"We want to ask the General Assembly to work until the debate is completed, including Saturday and Sunday, if required," she said.

"The new security bill text was completed after consultation with all sections of the community, including academics and security officials," Satır added.

The security bill issue has come after serious rioting in Turkey over the last six months. Protests over the Syrian Kurdish town of Kobani which erupted in October 2014 between pro and anti-PKK groups in some of Turkey's southeastern provinces resulted in 40 deaths.

Satır said that several protestors who hid their faces or threw petrol bombs and missiles provoked anger across Turkish society.

"Society wants necessary security measures to be taken," she added.

The bill was first submitted to a commission in November last year.

Proposed legislation outlaws possession of fireworks, Molotov cocktails and slingshots during protests. Protesters who cover their faces in demonstrations that take a "pro-terrorism tone" can now face imprisonment up to five years.

The bill also gives police enhanced powers to act preemptively in carrying out raids based on intelligence of possible criminal activity. Police will now be authorized to use firearms against those who attack schools, public offices or places of worship with firearms, explosives or other weapons.

Officers will also be able to search a person, their belongings or private vehicles based on verbal instructions by police chiefs. The person being searched will be informed of the rationale behind the procedure.

In cases of manslaughter, human trafficking or sexual abuse Turkish police will have the authority to hold a suspect under custody for 24 hours with the approval of the public prosecutor or the deputy governor and under supervision of their superior officers.