Erdogan cancels Turkey’s weekend lockdown after public backlash but warns of rise in coronavirus cases

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday he had decided to cancel a weekend lockdown announced late on Thursday, following a public backlash.

The Interior Ministry said earlier that the stay-at-home order in 15 cities could help prevent the spread of the coronavirus, continuing the policy of weekend lockdowns.

Erdogan explained in a series of tweets on Friday that the government had to impose the weekend lockdown after daily new Covid-19 cases rose from around 700 to nearly 1,000.

“However, the reactions we received from our people pushed us to re-evaluate the decision,” the president said, adding that the lockdown is now revoked. He also urged citizens to follow social distancing and hygiene measures.