Ankara bans public gatherings for a month

Authorities in the Turkish capital of Ankara announced banning public gatherings for a month starting on Tuesday, after a controversial vote on the constitutional change to presidential system.

"All gatherings and marches have been prohibited for one month due to security reasons," the press office of Ankara's mayor announced in a statement.

The statement comes a day after police dispersed a demonstration by Turkish opposition near the parliament in Ankara against the government's efforts to give more powers to the president.

Earlier on Tuesday, the national parliament, Turkish Grand National Assembly passed a motion to launch the debate on a bill that seeks to introduce an executive presidency which grants President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wide-ranging powers.

source: Xinhua