Turkish main opposition applies to top court to annul a critical article of “censorship” law

Turkey's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) has applied to the top court to annul an article included to the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) as part of a new media law that criminalizes spreading “fake” news with prison sentence.

"The effort of authoritarian regimes to combat fake news is not due to their passion for the reality or the truth. It stems from their desire to obtain a monopoly in determining the truth," CHP’s parliamentary group deputy chairman Engin Altay said, after submitting the application to the Constitutional Court on Tuesday, Reuters reported. 

Turkish parliament on Friday adopted a new media law that criminalises the spread of “fake” news online. The controversial law that prompted heavy criticism for creating a censorship mechanism over dissident, came into effect on Tuesday after the presidential approval.

According to the legislation popularly known as the “law on combatting disinformation", those who are deemed to have “publicly disseminated false information regarding national security, public order, or general public health that creates anxiety, fear, or panic among the population or disturbs public peace,” will face prison sentences of between one and three years. 

The law proposed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party (AKP) and its far-right ally, Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), contains a total of 40 articles.

CHP also asked the top court to suspend implementation of the law while the case proceeds, Altay said.