ANKARA, Turkey (AP) 鈥� Turkey鈥檚 main opposition party applied to the country鈥檚 supreme court on Tuesday seeking a suspension of the enforcement of a that mandates prison terms for people deemed to be spreading 鈥渄isinformation.鈥�
Last week, parliament approved a 40-article legislation that amends press and social media laws with the stated aim of combating fake news. will be used to further crack down on social media and independent reporting as the country heads toward elections.
The legislation, which was approved with the votes of President 鈥檚 ruling party and its nationalist allies, came into effect with its publication in the Official Gazette earlier on Tuesday.
The most controversial provision, Article 29, foresees up to three years in prison for spreading information that is 鈥渃ontrary to the truth鈥� about Turkey鈥檚 domestic and international security, public order and health for the alleged purpose of causing 鈥減ublic worry, fear and panic.鈥�
Engin Altay, a senior member of the main opposition Republican People鈥檚 Party, applied to the Constitutional Court for the suspension of the implementation of Article 29.
鈥淭his is a law that (aims to) present (the government's) lies as the truth, and the truth as lies, and can't be accepted,鈥� Altay told reporters after submitting the plea.
The party would seek the annulment of the entire legislation at a later date, he said.
Erdogan argued for a law to combat disinformation and fake news, saying false news and rising 鈥渄igital fascism鈥� are national and global security threats. His Justice and Development Party and nationalist allies say disinformation prevents people from accessing the truth, undermining freedom of expression.
The ruling party denies that the legislation aims to silence critics.
The Associated Press
