Press freedom organisations warn bill will ‘subdue public debate’ in run-up to next year’s general elections
Turkey’s parliament ratified a sweeping new law that would see those accused of spreading disinformation jailed for up to three years.
The controversial bill, proposed by the ruling Justice and Development party (AKP), contains wide-ranging provisions intended to rein in domestic journalism as well as social media. A coalition of 22 press freedom organisations said the bill “provides a framework for extensive censorship of online information and the criminalisation of journalism, which will enable the government to further subdue and control public debate in the lead up to Turkey’s general elections in 2023”.
