concerns around the law on “agents of influence” examined by Parliament

concerns around the law on agents of influence examined by

In Turkey, deputies will begin examining a proposed law on espionage this Wednesday, November 13, which is of great concern to rights defenders, journalists and other civil society actors. Nicknamed “ law on agents of influence “, she recalls similar texts adopted in Russia, Georgia, Hungary and elsewhere to attack critical voices.

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With our correspondent in Ankara, Anne Andlauer

Up to seven years in prison: this will be the sentence incurred by those whom Turkish justice accuses of having acted in the name of foreign interests.

In the proposed law, espionage is redefined to include those who ” commit a crime against state security or its internal or external political interests in accordance with the strategic interests or instructions of a foreign state or foreign organization “.

The fears of those who criticize power

Journalists, academics, human rights defenders… All those who criticize the government fear being the target of this very imprecise law, including NGO international organizations such as Human Rights Watch.

This law gives enormous leeway to prosecute anyone, without specifying what falls under the crime in question », alerts Emma Sinclair-Webb, director of Human Rights Watch in Türkiye. “ The authorities seem to want to equip themselves with even greater powers to attack NGOs, individuals, and articles which criticize them and which they consider to act against their interests. And they find a way to do this by slandering critical groups and journalists, who find themselves labeled as spies. »

President Erdogan has a sufficient majority in Parliament to adopt the text as it stands.

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