Turkey's highest administrative court, the Council of State, ordered the cancellation of a regulation that allows setting up cellphone base stations near houses, schools and parks. Along with base stations being blamed for causing adverse effects on human health, the Council of State banned the installation of television and radio antennas near heavily populated residential areas.

The court's decision stems from a complaint by a consumers' association and Chamber of Environmental Engineers which called for the abolition of a regulation on exposure to electromagnetic fields. The complainants had called for decreasing exposure to electromagnetic fields of base stations, and argued that the regulation was not in line with international standards.

The complainants said the ruling renders existing base stations as illegal and urged authorities to seal off the base stations near parks, schools and houses.