Turkey has suspended ship arrests and asset sales during the coronavirus pandemic.
Law firm ErsoyBilgehan said authorities are continuing to implement precautionary measures in the legal system in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
On 13 March, Turkey's Council of Judges and Prosecutors recommended that "the hearings and court surveys be postponed except for investigations and prosecutions with regard to the imprisoned persons and any other issues to be considered urgent".
Now it has suspended enforcement and bankruptcy proceedings by presidential decree until 30 April, at the earliest.
"Bailiff offices will not take any actions for the enforcement of precautionary attachments orders," ErsoyBilgehan senior associate Burce Cangir told TradeWinds.
She added that this does not mean applications cannot be filed.
"It would still be possible for the creditors to apply for an arrest order against a vessel on condition that the criteria set forth by law are met," she said. "Having said this, such order shall not be enforced until 30 April."
Three days to enforce order
"Under Turkish law, the enforcement of an arrest order shall have to be requested within three business days as from the date of the order, otherwise the order shall be revoked."
In the current circumstances, with regards to any orders of arrest granted by the courts during the suspension, the three-day period will be judged to start from 1 May, unless the suspension is extended.
New requests for enforcement will not be processed and no action will be taken over vessel seizures or the forced sale of assets.
Pending proceedings are also being halted.
"Although it is possible to request and obtain injunctions, these shall not be enforced," ErsoyBilgehan said.
The law firm believes it is possible that the suspension may be extended further and that other precautions may be implemented.
Courts are being staffed by duty personnel only, and notaries will work on a shift basis.
The death toll from Covid-19 rose by 15 to 59 in Turkey on Wednesday, as the number of recorded infections surged to 2,433.
