27.01.2025 14:10
Following allegations that the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB) required its staff to sign documents and work overtime when attending Friday prayers, the Istanbul Governorship issued a noteworthy warning. The statement indicated that practices such as collecting names and signatures from staff and adding leave hours to working hours are not appropriate, emphasizing that "the essence of the circular is to ensure that the freedom of worship is not hindered and to maintain sufficient personnel without disrupting operations."
The Istanbul Governorship sent a letter to public institutions in the city regarding the different practices and disruptions related to allowing employees in public institutions to attend Friday prayers.
"FRIDAY PRAYER TIME..."
In the letter signed by Governor Davut Gül, it was stated, "As a requirement of the freedom of religious belief guaranteed by the Constitution and relevant legislation, it was previously communicated in our related letter that employees in public institutions and organizations are allowed to attend Friday prayers without causing a loss of working hours if the time of the Friday prayer coincides with working hours."
"PROVIDE SUFFICIENT PERSONNEL"
However, it was noted in the letter that there are some disruptions in practice, such as the collection of personnel names and signatures, and the addition of permission hours to working hours during the week. It was recorded: "The spirit of the circular expresses that attending worship as a requirement of religious belief should not be hindered, and the phrase 'without causing a loss of working hours' means ensuring that work is not disrupted by having a sufficient number of personnel, just as in administrative leave. In this context, I kindly request that the General Directorate of Personnel and Principles of the Prime Ministry's Circular No. 2016/1 be implemented in accordance with the above explanations."
Here is the letter sent to the institutions;