Turkey’s Interior Ministry Boosts Security Purchases Before Social Unrest

Recent procurement activities by the General Directorate of Security (EGM), under Turkey’s Ministry of Interior, have drawn attention due to their timing around recent social unrest triggered by political developments. Notably, these tenders coincided closely with protests sparked by the cancellation of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu's university diploma on March 18 and his subsequent arrest.

One day prior to these incidents, on March 18, the EGM finalized a significant tender to install 13,000 facial recognition cameras across various locations. This substantial project, with estimated costs ranging between 33.7 million TL and 253.4 million TL, is set to be completed within three months. Additional tenders initiated by the EGM amid escalating social protests include:

• Procurement of 280,000 days of electronic handcuff monitoring services,
• Purchase of 10,000 OC gas spray units (400 ml),
• Acquisition of 7.62×39 mm steel core ammunition,
• Order for 100,000 units of 40 mm five-chambered gas cartridges,
• Acquisition of 10,000 riot control parkas,
• Purchase of 50,000 smoke grenades,
• Procurement of 7,000 non-communication data phones.

Furthermore, the Ministry of Justice launched a tender process to establish 150 “e-Hearing” systems. This technological initiative aims to minimize physical attendance by lawyers and citizens, allowing remote participation in court hearings. These extensive security acquisitions by the EGM have garnered attention not only for their scale but also for their timing, coinciding with significant political and social tensions. Compared to the same period in the previous year, the nature and timing of these tenders indicate a marked escalation in security preparedness measures.