redazione 10 December 2024
"Ursula von der Leyen" by theglobalpanorama, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.

In a joint letter, 55 international and local press freedom and human rights organisations urge the EU Commission to call for full withdrawal of the "agent of influence" bill in Turkey.

The coalition of organisations expressed profound concern regarding the proposed "agent of influence" bill, presented to the Turkish Parliament in November and expected to be reintroduced before the end of the year. The new law represents a significant threat to fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and association, press freedom, and the public’s right to information.

The bill introduces a new offense titled "committing a crime against the security or political interests of the state," and stipulates that individuals who commit crimes in line with the interests of, or under the direction of, a foreign state or foreign organization, that are against the security and political interests of the Turkish state, will face increased prison terms of three to seven years.

However, the bill's vague language and failure to clearly define its terms, coupled with Turkey’s lack of judicial independence, would enable courts to effectively treat government critics as spies.

In the letter, the organisations asked the EU to demonstrate its commitment to democratic principles and human rights, within its borders and globally elsewhere.

Link to the full letter .