Turkey’s ruling party has reintroduced a controversial regulation targeting “foreign influence agents”, which had previously been withdrawn following public criticism. The regulation was submitted to parliament on Friday as part of a new judicial reform bill.
The proposal, part of a 23-article bill, was put forward by the Justice and Development Party (AKP) parliamentary group leader Abdullah Güler and his deputies. It includes prison sentences of up to seven years for individuals found guilty of acting on behalf of foreign states or organisations to harm Turkey’s national security or political interests. Güler explained that the new regulation would expand the scope of espionage laws to cover offences beyond the disclosure of documents and information, marking a more comprehensive effort to combat espionage.
The regulation, initially part of last year’s judicial reform package, was pulled from consideration following widespread criticism. Despite the backlash, the AKP has now reintroduced the measure, arguing that it will strengthen Turkey’s ability to counter espionage activities.
