Presidential Communications Director Fahrettin Altun targeted funds received from foreign resources and President Erdoğan commented, based on Altun’s statements, that a new social media regulation may be enacted in October against “false news and foreign resources.” This statement was evaluated by 23 international organisations with a joint declaration. The declaration indicated a worry on the “criminalisation of organisations receiving funds from foreign resources” and “the fight against false news and disinformation” being the new tools for silencing oppositional media. Signatory organisations called Turkey to consider the principles in the policy document previously launched by international organisations on press freedom and freedom of expression on “freedom of expression against false news and disinformation” in all regulations Turkey will make.
Signatory organisations:
Ankara Journalists Association, ARTICLE 19, Articolo21, Association of European Journalists (AEJ), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Danish PEN, Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DISK) Press-Labour, English PEN, European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), Free Press Unlimited (FPU), IFEX, IFoX Initiative for Freedom of Expression – Turkey, IPS Communication Foundation, International Press Institute (IPI), Media Research Association (MEDAR), Media and Legal Studies Association (MLSA), OBC Transeuropa (OBCT), PEN International, PEN Netherlands, PEN Vlaanderen,South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO), Swedish PEN, Turkish Journalists Union