Turkey intends to enact legislation combating foreign influence.
Turkish officials are reportedly working on a law that could lead to the imprisonment of individuals who act against the state's interests on behalf of foreign powers. This information comes from media reports and a preliminary copy of the bill obtained by Deutsche Presse-Agentur.
The law is still in its early stages and can be modified before it goes to parliament for a vote. However, it has already faced strong opposition. Human rights advocates and political opponents worry that innocent civilians such as journalists and NGOs could be silenced, as has happened in Georgia.
The draft states that anyone conducting investigations against Turkish authorities, institutions, or foreign residents in Turkey on behalf of a foreign state or organization, with the intent to damage state security or national interests, could face several years in prison.
German-Turkish politician Mustafa Yeneroglu, a member of the opposition Deva party, strongly criticized the vague language in the law, which he believes could potentially target the media, human rights organizations, and foreign foundations. In an interview with dpa, he called the law a threat to Turkey.
Erol Önderoglu, the Turkey representative of Reporters Without Borders, expressed worry that the law could allow President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government to increase suppression of freedom of speech and press. The plan is expected to have additional consequences for Turkish citizens and organizations outside of the country.
According to reports, some contentious points in the legislation will be reviewed due to the heavy criticism. The law is a part of a larger package of controversial legislation that will be debated in parliament before the summer break.
In recent weeks, Georgia has seen protests over a similar law that aims to limit foreign influence on NGOs. The law was vetoed by Georgia's President Salome Zurabishvili, but this veto can be overridden by parliament. END
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The sharp criticism from German-Turkish politician Mustafa Yeneroglu and Erol Önderoglu, the Turkey representative of Reporters Without Borders, is directed at the vague language in the draft law, fearing it could potentially lead to the intimidation or imprisonment of journalists, human rights advocates, and foreign organizations, thereby influencing Turkey's freedom of speech and press. Due to this criticism, some contentious points in the legislation are reportedly under review.
Source: www.ntv.de
