UN voices concern over newly approved “fake news” law in Turkey
The United Nations has expressed concern after the Turkish parliament passed a law that could lead to the imprisonment of journalists or social media users for a maximum of three years for spreading “fake news”.
The UN Human Rights Office said the law leaves plenty of room for subjective interpretations and violations, and urged Ankara to ensure full respect for freedom of expression.
The new rules consolidate the authorities’ tight grip on the media, eight months before the date of the general elections, in which opinion polls indicate that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has retreated.
“We are concerned about the Turkish parliament’s adoption on Thursday of a package of amendments to several laws that risk significantly limiting freedom of expression in the country,” UN human rights spokeswoman Marta Hurtado said in a statement.
She added, “Under international human rights law, freedom of expression is not limited to truthful information, but applies to information and ideas in all its forms, whether online or not. These amendments leave much room for arbitrary and personal interpretation and violations.”
Hurtado stated that in a context that is already based on many restrictions, the new laws risk curtailing the rights of people to seek, receive and impart information guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which Turkey has signed.
