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Turkish parliament passes associations oversight law that critics say will stifle NGOs
Source: Reuters
DECEMBER 27, 2020 1:32 AM UPDATED 5 HOURS AGO
Turkish parliament passes associations oversight law that critics say will stifle NGOs
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s parliament passed a law on Sunday that would ramp up oversight of foundations and associations and, according to rights groups including Amnesty International, risks limiting the freedoms of civil society organisations.
The law allows the interior minister to replace members of organisations who are being investigated for terrorism charges, while the interior ministry can also apply to courts to halt the groups’ activities under the new law. International organisations will also be included under the law and penalised accordingly.
Parliament approved the bill - drafted by President Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party, which holds a parliamentary majority with its nationalist MHP allies - early on Sunday, the assembly said on Twitter.
Earlier this week, seven civil society organisations, including Human Rights Association and Amnesty, said in a statement that terrorism charges in Turkey were arbitrary, adding the law violates the presumption of innocence and punishes those whose trials are not finalised.
-snip-
Turkish parliament passes associations oversight law that critics say will stifle NGOs
ANKARA (Reuters) - Turkey’s parliament passed a law on Sunday that would ramp up oversight of foundations and associations and, according to rights groups including Amnesty International, risks limiting the freedoms of civil society organisations.
The law allows the interior minister to replace members of organisations who are being investigated for terrorism charges, while the interior ministry can also apply to courts to halt the groups’ activities under the new law. International organisations will also be included under the law and penalised accordingly.
Parliament approved the bill - drafted by President Tayyip Erdogan’s AK Party, which holds a parliamentary majority with its nationalist MHP allies - early on Sunday, the assembly said on Twitter.
Earlier this week, seven civil society organisations, including Human Rights Association and Amnesty, said in a statement that terrorism charges in Turkey were arbitrary, adding the law violates the presumption of innocence and punishes those whose trials are not finalised.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-turkey-foundations-law/turkish-parliament-passes-associations-oversight-law-that-critics-say-will-stifle-ngos-idUSKBN29106Y
