Turkey clamps down on online critics ahead of national election

Lawyers and activists assert that Turkey’s recently enacted disinformation law is the government’s latest measure to suppress freedom of expression. Under this law, journalists and social media users can be imprisoned for three years for disseminating false information online.

Additionally, the law requires social media companies to disclose information about individuals who spread false information. It also mandates the appointment of local representatives to handle content removal when deemed necessary.

Selcuk Ada, a journalist, is under investigation under this law following his tweet after a bomb detonated in the centre of Istanbul, causing the death of six individuals and injuring over 80 people.

Rights activists caution that his situation forms an integral component of an increasing endeavour to stifle digital opposition and impede the efforts of activists and journalists in anticipation of Turkey’s momentous presidential and parliamentary elections on Saturday.

‘The Turkish government has accelerated its efforts to enforce censorship and tighten control over social media and independent online news sites ahead of this election’, said Deborah Brown, a senior technology researcher at Human Rights Watch.

The Venice Commission, which advises the Council of Europe’s rights watchdog, warned that prison terms and other consequences of the law could result in ‘arbitrary restrictions of freedom of expression’ before the election.