The Parliament votes a law on “disinformation”, whose project was promoted by the ruling party. According to critics, this is “liberticide” legislation. The amendments are being examined by the deputies, and their approval is expected by the weekend. For activists and critics, the penalties are “disproportionate” with respect to the objective of ensuring the veracity of the information: they range from one to three years in prison.
Istanbul () – Less than a year before the presidential elections in June 2023, the Ankara government, at the request of the majority party AKP (Justice and Development Party), wants to approve a new regulation that activists and groups of the opposition describe as “liberticide”. This is the controversial “Disinformation Law”, which consists of some 40 amendments, of which approximately half have already been approved by Parliament. The final vote and entry into force is expected to take place later this week. For days, critical voices have been raised and fears of greater repression have spread in a nation that is already the scene of attacks on the press and dissent..
The latest cry of alarm comes from the European Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission), which affirms that the prison sentences and other measures contemplated in the norm are “disproportionate” with respect to the objectives. Furthermore, because of the way it has been formulated by the Turkish leadership, the law could lead to “arbitrary restrictions on freedom of expression.” Especially, seeing and considering that Erdogan achieved the electoral victory of 2014, he won the early elections of 2018 after the presidential reform and is now seeking a new mandate.
The bill addresses the issue of misinformation in the press and on social media. The government intends that it be approved in record time, to use it during the double electoral campaign -parliamentary and presidential- next year. The opposition and the media fear in particular a paragraph of the new law, according to which whoever spreads false information about the country’s security to create fear or disturb public order will be punished with one to three years in prison.
In a note, the Venice Commission expresses its concern “about the possible consequences of this provision”, in particular “the increase in cases of self-censorship” ahead of the 2023 vote. The bill, the statement continues, represents an “interference with freedom of expression”, a right protected by the European Court of Human Rights. That is why it is necessary to precisely clarify its terms and reject the amendments that are the source of controversy. In the 23-page report, the experts conclude by pointing out that there are “alternative” and “non-criminal” methods to “counter disinformation in a democratic society.”
The project establishes that those who work for Internet news portals will be considered journalists and may request press accreditation from the Department of Communication. Officials working in the information services of public institutions, radio and television will also receive an accreditation. In addition, the information portals will be included in the list of periodic publications. Activists and critics point out that the regulations are part of the repression that Erdogan has carried out for a decade against freedom of expression, which was confirmed by recent investigations. An investigation of Reuters shows that the mainstream media has become a “tight chain of command” in which titles are “government-approved.”
Parliament already approved the first 15 articles of the legislation last week and will resume debate on the law tomorrow.
