Turkey halts executions, bankruptcy proceedings

By Hamdi Celikbas

ANKARA (AA) - Executions and bankruptcy proceedings were suspended beginning Sunday in Turkey until April 30 as part of coronavirus measures.

The announcement was made in the Official Gazette and signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkey has 947 confirmed cases of the virus known as COVID-19, with 21 deaths.

COVID-19 emerged in Wuhan, China last December, and has spread to at least 167 countries and regions, according to data compiled by the U.S.-based Johns Hopkins University.

Out of more than 304,000 confirmed cases, the death toll now nears 13,000, while more than 91,600 have recovered.

Despite the rising number of cases, most who become infected suffer only mild symptoms and recover.

The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic.

*Writing by Davut Demircan