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The law will be discussed in the country's parliament in the coming days. It reportedly aims to stop the activities of those who work under the influence or at the command of a foreign state or organization against “the security of the state, its internal or external political interests.” According to the draft bill reviewed by Bloomberg, the penalty for violating the law could be up to seven years in prison.

The move is part of a broader justice package proposed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's AK Party and is reminiscent of Georgia's recent foreign agents law, which has drawn condemnation in Western countries and sparked mass protests. Bloomberg points out that Russia has a similar mechanism for suppressing domestic political criticism.

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Judicial experts and journalists expressed concern about the ambiguity and broadness of the law's wording. According to them, Turkey's political interests could change and the authorities could use this uncertainty to suppress any criticism of the government.

In recent years, Erdogan and his government have restricted freedom of expression through various laws, and thousands of people have been arrested or tried for insulting the president since he took office a decade ago.

Under a “disinformation law” passed two years ago, spreading false information about Turkey's security, public order or general well-being can be punished with a prison sentence of up to three years. Critics, including the main opposition party, called the document a “censorship draft” and said its broad wording gave authorities the right to prosecute anyone who deviates from the official version.

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

The Committee to Protect Journalists' 2023 report ranked Turkey 10th in the world in terms of the number of journalists imprisoned, although it has repeatedly ranked first over the past decade.

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