Turkey is going to introduce a new law to combat foreign influence on processes that could harm national interests. Such intentions have caused concern among civil society and media groups that it will be used to suppress dissent, Bloomberg reports, UNN reports.
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The law will be discussed in the country's parliament in the coming days. It is reportedly aimed at stopping the activities of those who work against "the security of the state, its internal or external political interests" under the influence or on the orders of a foreign state or organization. According to the draft law, which was reviewed by Bloomberg, the penalty for violating the law could be up to seven years in prison.
The move is part of a broader judicial package proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party and is reminiscent of the law on foreign agents recently passed in Georgia, which has drawn condemnation from Western countries and mass protests. Bloomberg points out that Russia has a similar mechanism for suppressing domestic criticism.
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Judicial experts and journalists have expressed concern about the ambiguity and breadth of the law's wording. According to them, Turkey's political interests may change, and the authorities may use this uncertainty to suppress any criticism of the government.
In recent years, Erdogan and his government have restricted freedom of speech through various laws, and thousands of people have been detained or tried on charges of insulting the president since he took office a decade ago.
Under a "disinformation" law passed two years ago, spreading false information about Turkey's security, public order, or general welfare can result in a prison sentence of up to three years. Critics, including the main opposition party, have called the document a "censorship bill," saying its broad language gives authorities the right to prosecute anyone who deviates from the official version.
Dozens of media groups issued statements opposing the law on foreign influence and calling for its repeal.
In the 2023 report of the Committee to Protect Journalists, Turkey was ranked 10th in the world in terms of the number of imprisoned journalists, although it has repeatedly been ranked first over the past decade.
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