Temporary protection within the scope of Article 91 LFIP is a discretionary measure that may be deployed in situations of mass influx of refugees where individual processing of international protection needs is impractical due to high numbers.[1] As such, temporary protection under the TPR is not defined as a form of international protection but a complementary measure used in situations where individual international protection eligibility processing is deemed impractical.
The application of the Temporary protection regime is to be declared by a decision of the Presidency.[2] The declaration decision shall elaborate the scope of beneficiaries, the start date of the temporary protection regime and its duration, where necessary.[3] It may or may not designate a limitation on the implementation of the temporary protection regime to a specific region in Türkiye. An existing temporary protection regime in place is to be terminated by a Presidency decision.[4]
The Presidency has the authority to order limitations on temporary protection measures in place, or the suspension of existing measures for a specific period or indefinitely, “in the event of circumstances threatening national security, public order, public security and public health”.[5] In such a case, the Presidency shall have the discretion to determine the specifics of the treatment existing registered temporary protection beneficiaries and measures that will be applied to persons within the scope of the temporary protection regime who approach Türkiye’s borders after the limitation or suspension decision. Such very broadly and vaguely defined limitation or suspension measures are different from the actual termination of a temporary protection regime by means of a Presidency decision in accordance with Article 11 TPR.
[1] Articles 1 and 3 TPR.
[2] Article 9 TPR.
[3] Article 10 TPR.
[4] Article 11 TPR.
[5] Article 15 TPR.