Opposition condemns Turkish government’s alcohol ban as secular attack

A political storm has ensued the Turkish government's decision to ban alcohol sales as part of a nearly three-week lockdown to contain COVID-19.

Ahead of the national lockdown that took effect on Thursday and which will end on May 17, the opposition parties accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of trying to attack the foundations of the 90-year-old secular state.

"Erdogan's regime, it seems to be trying all the little ways to change the way people live to what he thinks is the right way. Meaning, for example, the way they are building up the Imam Hatip religious schools. The way they are encouraging more and more students to go to those schools, actually is social engineering. So with the alcohol ban, it is actually the same thing," warned Duvar columnist Mehves Evin. 

The government denies such accusations. But the ban coinciding with the Islamic  month of Ramadan, such denials have done little to quell the controversy.  

Many shops are continuing to sell  alcohol in spite of the ban,  posting pictures of the sales on social media. "Don't touch my alcohol" was tweeted 28,000 times last week, putting it among Turkish Twitter’s top trending hashtags.   

The head of Turkey's trader's association, Bendeki Palandöken, called for the bans reversal, saying that it is not possible to impose the measure in a democratic country which is integrated with Europe.

The ban is also being challenged in Turkey's courts. But the government is vigorously defending the move, noting that other countries, like South Africa, imposed similar restrictions.  

But the ban was unsuccessful and unpopular in South Africa, and people flocked back to bars and liquor stores as soon as it was lifted.

Cape Town resident Wellington Tobella  told NPR the ban felt like collective punishment, even against people like him, “who just wanted a drink after a long overnight shift”.