T\u00fcrkiye Passes Controversial Bill Vesting Power to Religious Authority for Quran-Content Control
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\nT\u00fcrkiye\u2019s Parliament has approved a controversial bill granting the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) broad authority to review, censor, and confiscate Quran translations, Daily Sabah reported.<\/p>\n
The new law allows Diyanet to examine Quranic translations, both in print and online, and if found \u201cobjectionable\u201d based on vague criteria related to \u201cIslam\u2019s fundamental characteristics,\u201d it can request judicial orders to halt publication and distribution. Previously distributed copies may also be seized and destroyed.<\/p>\n
The legislation extends Diyanet\u2019s reach into digital platforms, enabling court-ordered removal or blocking of online content. Although legal appeals are permitted within two weeks, enforcement actions proceed immediately, raising concerns about due process violations.<\/p>\n
Legal experts warn the law\u2019s ambiguous language creates risks of arbitrary censorship and undermines constitutional principles of legal certainty. Religious scholars fear the move centralizes religious authority, suppressing diverse Islamic interpretations and fostering a state-sanctioned monopoly on theology.<\/p>\n
This shift aligns T\u00fcrkiye more closely with restrictive religious controls seen in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran, marking a departure from its historically pluralistic approach. Critics argue the law threatens religious freedom, independent scholarship, and T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s role as a regional hub for moderate Islamic thought.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
T\u00fcrkiye Passes Controversial Bill Vesting Power to Religious Authority for Quran-Content Control ————————————————— T\u00fcrkiye\u2019s Parliament has approved a controversial bill granting the Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet) broad authority to review, censor, and confiscate Quran translations, Daily Sabah reported. The new law allows Diyanet to examine Quranic translations, both in print and online, and if …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":127308,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_108372464460192_245495985553329":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-127309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-marjaeyat"],"yoast_head":"\n