Turkey Introduces Jail Terms For "Fake News"

Turkey's parliament on Thursday approved a tough new media law that could see reporters and social media users jailed for up to three years for spreading "fake news".

Turkey's parliament on Thursday approved a strict new media law that could lead to reporters and social media users being jailed for up to three years for spreading "false news".

The new rules reinforce the government's already strong grip on the media eight months before the elections that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will enter in the aftermath of the elections.

Legislation -

Which consists of 40 amendments, each requiring a separate vote - was proposed by Erdogan's Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party (AKP) and strongly opposed by Turkey's main opposition groups.

The adopted law imposes a criminal penalty on those found guilty of publishing false or misleading information.

It requires social networks and websites to hand over personal details of users suspected of "spreading misleading information".

Courts are allowed to sentence accredited reporters and regular social media users who "publicly spread misinformation" to between one and three years in prison.

The government also began issuing a weekly "disinformation bulletin" aimed at debunking what it considered fake news with "accurate and honest information".

BY
ProBuzzFeed