Middle East

Turkey passes media law setting jail terms for “disinformation”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Reuters file photo

Turkey's parliament on Thursday adopted a law proposed by President Tayyip Erdogan that would jail journalists and social media users for up to three years for spreading "disinformation", despite deep concerns over free speech.

Lawmakers from Erdogan's ruling AK Party (AKP) and its nationalist ally MHP, which together have a majority, approved the bill even as opposition lawmakers, European countries and media rights activists called for it to be scrapped.

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Turkey passes media law setting jail terms for “disinformation”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Reuters file photo

Turkey's parliament on Thursday adopted a law proposed by President Tayyip Erdogan that would jail journalists and social media users for up to three years for spreading "disinformation", despite deep concerns over free speech.

Lawmakers from Erdogan's ruling AK Party (AKP) and its nationalist ally MHP, which together have a majority, approved the bill even as opposition lawmakers, European countries and media rights activists called for it to be scrapped.

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