CIMER is the system through which a journalist exercises two separate rights at a single door: the right of petition and the right to information.

The Identity of the Regulation

DetailValue
NameThe Presidency Communication Centre Regulation
Presidential Decision3/6/2022 - 5690
Official Gazette4/6/2022 - No. 31856
BasisLaw No. 3071 on the Exercise of the Right of Petition, Law No. 4982 on the Right to Information, and Presidential Decree No. 14 Art. 3/3

What Is It Used For?

The first paragraph of Art. 5: an applicant may transmit to CIMER their wishes and complaints and their views on public policy within the scope of the right of petition, and their requests for documents and information within the scope of the right to information.

Five Application Routes

The first paragraph of Art. 6 lists the channels:

ChannelExplanation
The electronic and mobile service providerCoordinated by the Department
The e-Devlet gateway-
ALO 150The line allocated for telephone applications to the CIMER Gateway under this Regulation
Letter and/or postLegibly and intelligibly
In person-

What an Application Must Contain

The second paragraph of Art. 6:

  • Name and surname
  • The Turkish ID number for Turkish citizens; the passport number or foreign ID number for citizens of other countries
  • The place of residence and/or business address and contact details
  • A signature

For applications by legal persons the title and place of residence of the legal person, the signature of the authorised person and, where applicable, the central legal person number and authorisation document are also required.

Response Times

StagePeriodBasis
The body's response - general15 working daysLaw No. 4982 Art. 11
Where another unit / body's opinion is needed30 working daysLaw No. 4982 Art. 11
Objection to the Board15 daysLaw No. 4982 Art. 13
The Board's decision period30 working daysLaw No. 4982 Art. 13

We cover the whole freedom of information process in the application guide and the response times guide.

Applications Outside the Scope

The second paragraph of Art. 5 lists applications to CIMER that fall outside the scope:

  • (a) Those within the legislative or judicial activity of the legislative or judicial organs
  • (b) Those whose purpose and subject are not intelligible
  • (c) Those containing a claim, debt or obligation within private law relations between the applicant and third persons or institutions
  • (ç) Those found to have been made using another person's identity and contact details, or by persons lacking capacity of discernment
  • (d) Those in the nature of a criminal complaint to be assessed only within the duties and powers of public prosecutors and other judicial authorities under the Penal Code and other legislation
  • (e) Those containing only expressions based on estimate or supposition and containing no concrete information or document
  • (f) Those made in a way that may lead to a manifest abuse of the right

The Basic Principles

Art. 4: it is essential that public institutions and public personnel, in performing their duties under this Regulation, inform the applicant in a citizen-focused, effective, swift and transparent way and with accurate information.

Withdrawing an Application

The first paragraph of Art. 9: a request to withdraw an application made to CIMER, or for it not to be assessed, may be made only on condition that the proceedings on that application have not been concluded. A request to withdraw cannot be made for applications that have lost their validity by reason of their subject.

The second paragraph: all information relating to the application and the applicant is archived under Law No. 6698 and the relevant legislation, in order to meet the requests of judicial organs and other competent authorities in any legal disputes that may arise.

The Role of the Regional Directorates

When Art. 11 defines CIMER personnel it also names the regional directorate officer: the personnel charged with coordinating the CIMER activities of all institutions and organisations in their region.

The other roles: the CIMER general coordinator (technical and administrative operation on behalf of the Department, institutional monitoring, coordination between regional directorates and institutions), the CIMER coordinators, the response-approval officer (holding signature authority, at a level equal to or higher than the title of the person preparing the response) and the manager.

Applications Outside CIMER

Summary

  • CIMER is the system through which applications under Petition Law No. 3071 and Right to Information Law No. 4982 are handled at a single door.
  • There are five channels: the electronic and mobile service, e-Devlet, ALO 150, post and in person.
  • The response periods are not in the Regulation but in Law No. 4982: fifteen working days as a rule.