Concerns about censorship are growing in Turkey. The reason is a newly passed law against misinformation. In the future, several years imprisonment threaten.
Concerns about online censorship have been growing since the Turkish parliament passed the much-criticised law to “combat disinformation”. In the near future you will see many arbitrary investigations and court cases, said Yamam Akdeniz, a member of the Freedom of Expression Association (iFÖD), the German Press Agency.
“Some media outlets will inevitably engage in self-censorship – the new regulation may silence social media users.” In terms of freedom of expression and freedom of the press, Turkey will now experience a “dark chapter”. According to Akdeniz, one result could also be that “world giants like Twitter”, which have a representative office in Turkey, turn away.
The majority of MPs voted in favor of the legislative package on Thursday, state-run Anadolu News Agency reported. Among other things, the new regulations provide for up to three years in prison for the dissemination of “false information”.
Law enables “systematic action against criticism”
“With this law, the Turkish authorities can step up their systematic crackdown on any criticism in the country before the 2023 elections and beyond,” said Janine Uhlmannsiek, Europe expert at Amnesty International in Germany. With “the vaguely formulated disinformation law” the Turkish government is further restricting freedom of expression under the “guise of combating false reports” and is trying to create a climate of fear.
The ruling AK party holds a majority in the Turkish parliament with its partner, the ultra-nationalist party MHP. The design came from both of them.
Imprisonment of up to three years possible
The article about the spread of false information in particular caused a lot of discussion. Accordingly, there is a risk of one to three years in prison if, for example, “false information” about the country’s internal and external security or public order is spread with the motive of causing concern.
Opposition and critics had been mobilizing against the bill for weeks, describing it as a “censorship law.” The law also provides new rules for online media. Journalists’ associations warned it could turn into one of the toughest censorship and self-censorship mechanisms in the history of the Turkish Republic.
Source: Stern
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