A bill proposing new judicial regulations, including penalties for so-called “foreign agents of influence,” was passed by the Turkish Parliament’s Justice Committee on Monday, Turkish media reported.
The bill introduces provisions that would impose prison sentences ranging from three to seven years on Turkish citizens or residents who “commit crimes against security or domestic or foreign political interests of the state upon instructions from, or in line with the strategic interests of, a foreign government or organization.”
Proposed sentences will increase to eight to 12 years if the crime is committed during wartime or “in a manner and time to risk military operations.”
A joint statement from 43 rights and professional organizations, including Amnesty Turkey and the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV), called on lawmakers to reject the bill, saying it poses “a significant threat to civil society’s ability to operate freely.” They expressed concern over the bill’s broad and vague definitions, which could criminalize legitimate activities like documenting human rights violations. The coalition warned that terms like “strategic interest” and “state’s political benefits” are overly broad, potentially allowing for arbitrary interpretation and misuse by authorities.
“The proposal, approved by the Justice Committee, seriously threatens the ability of civil society to operate freely,” Amnesty Turkey said on social media platform X.
The statement also emphasized that the bill’s current form lacks adequate safeguards against potential abuses and fails to align with international standards. They underscored that the proposed law could be used to target journalists, human rights defenders and civil society organizations documenting abuses, potentially leading to long prison sentences.
The legislation still requires approval from the parliament’s General Assembly, where all members will debate and vote on the proposal. If passed by the General Assembly, it must then be signed by the president to become law. Upon presidential approval, the bill will be published in the Official Gazette, making it legally binding.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has previously warned in a statement that the proposed legislation could be used in particular against journalists who work for foreign media outlets or media outlets that receive foreign funding in Turkey.
