(Bloomberg) -- Turkey is set to introduce a new law against foreign influence over issues that could harm the national interest, raising concern among civil society and media groups that it’ll be used to crush dissent.
The legislation, due to be discussed in the NATO-member’s parliament in coming days, seeks to curb those working against “the state’s security or its domestic or external political interests” under the influence or orders of a foreign country or organization. The punishment could be as many as seven years in prison, according to a draft bill seen by Bloomberg.
The move is part of a broader judicial package proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan‘s AK Party, and resembles the foreign-agent law passed recently in Georgia, which drew condemnation from Western states and sparked mass protests. Russia has a similar mechanism as a means to quash internal criticism.
Judicial experts and journalists expressed concern about the ambiguity and broad wording of the law. Turkey’s political interests are subject to change and authorities could use that vagueness to crack down on any criticism against the government, they say.
Inan Akgun Alp, a lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, said the bill will prepare ground for a “much more repressive environment.”
“This is a very serious authoritarian law,” Alp said. “The definition of the crime through vague expressions paves the way to punish all opponents.”
Freedom of Speech
Erdogan and his government have curtailed freedom of speech in recent years through various laws, and thousands have faced detention or trials on charges of insulting the president since he took on that role a decade ago.
According to one on “disinformation” implemented two years ago, the spread of false information on Turkey’s security, public order or general welfare could result in a prison sentence of up to three years. Critics, including the main opposition party, have branded it the “censorship bill,” saying its broad wording gives authorities the power to crack down on anyone who strays away from the official narrative.
Dozens of media groups have published statements opposing the foreign-influence law and calling for its withdrawal.
“We see the bill as an alarming threat to freedom of expression and civil society,” said Mustafa Kuleli, vice president of the European Federation of Journalists, or EFJ. “The vaguely worded bill could turn everyday journalistic and civil advocacy activities into punishable crimes.”
Turkey was ranked the world’s 10th worst jailer of journalists in the Committee to Protect Journalists 2023 report, though it’s taken the number one spot numerous times in the past decade.
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