Türkiye plans to pass law on foreign agents - Bloomberg

The legislation set to be discussed in the Turkish parliament in the coming days aims to crack down on those working against the security of the state or its internal or external political interests under the influence or direction of a foreign country or organization.

According to the draft law, penalties could reach up to seven years in prison.

This move is part of a broader judicial package proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan‘s AK Party. The bill resembles a recently passed foreign agent law in Georgia, which faced condemnation from Western nations and led to widespread protests.

Legal experts and journalists have expressed concern over the vagueness and broad wording of the law. They argue that Türkiye's political interests may shift, and the government could exploit this uncertainty to suppress any criticism of its actions.

Inan Akgun Alp, a lawmaker from the main opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, stated that the bill paves the way for a much more repressive environment.

"This is a very serious authoritarian law. The definition of the crime through vague expressions paves the way to punish all opponents," Alp said.

Media reaction

Dozens of media groups have issued statements opposing the foreign influence law and calling for its withdrawal.

"We see the bill as an alarming threat to freedom of expression and civil society. The vaguely worded bill could turn everyday journalistic and civil advocacy activities into punishable crimes," said Mustafa Kuleli, vice president of the European Federation of Journalists.

Türkiye was ranked the world’s 10th worst jailer of journalists in the Committee to Protect Journalists 2023 report. Although it has frequently held the top spot over the past decade, its current ranking reflects ongoing concerns about press freedoms in the country.

Increasing pressure

In recent years, Erdoğan and his government have restricted freedom of speech in Türkiye through various laws. Since he took office ten years ago, thousands of people have been detained or faced trial on charges of insulting the president.

According to a law on disinformation passed two years ago, spreading false information about Türkiye's security, public order, or general welfare can lead to imprisonment for up to three years.

Critics, including the main opposition party, have labeled it a censorship bill, arguing that its broad language gives authorities the power to prosecute anyone who deviates from the official narrative.

Laws on foreign agents

Currently, laws regarding foreign agents are in effect in two countries within the post-Soviet space.

The pioneer of this initiative is Russia, where a similar law was enacted back in 2012. According to this law, anyone receiving support from outside Russia or being influenced from abroad must register and declare themselves a foreign agent.

After registration, these individuals are subject to additional checks and are required to label all their publications with a disclaimer of 24 words stating that they are disseminated by a foreign agent.

On May 14, 2024, a similar bill titled On Transparency of Foreign Influence was passed by the Georgian parliament. This decision sparked mass protests in Tbilisi.

The UK and the US have stated that if the Georgian authorities do not repeal this law, it will slow the country's movement toward the EU and NATO.

However, the Georgian government does not plan to withdraw the foreign agents' law to join the EU.