May be of interest. I suppose governments are driven into corners by economics and international politics, history and culture?
Türkiye: Concern mounts over human rights implications of ‘disinformation bill’ | | 1UN News
https://news.un.org/en/story/2022/10/1129567?utm_source=UN+News+-+Newsle...
'The UN human rights office (OHCHR) expressed growing concern on Friday over the adoption by Türkiye’s Parliament of a package of amendments to various laws “that risk curtailing freedom of expression” in the country.
'One of the amendments is a revision of the criminal code that establishes sentences of up to three years in prison for “publicly disseminating false information” on digital plaftorms.
'Under international human rights law, freedom of expression is not limited to ‘truthful’ information, but applies to ‘information and ideas of all kinds’, both online and offline. Restrictions to freedom of expression
shall only be envisaged on legitimate and necessary grounds”, Marta Hurtado, the UN Rights Office spokesperson warned in a statement.
'Room for abuse
'Ms. Hurtado underscored that the amendments further leave significant room for “arbitrary, subjective interpretation and abuse”.
“In an already very restrictive context, they risk further limiting people’s rights to seek, receive and impart information as guaranteed by article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
<https://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/ccpr.aspx> (ICCPR) to which Türkiye is party”, she highlighted, adding that the amendments also risk opening new avenues for repression of journalists, human rights
defenders and incentivising self-censorship.
'Freedom of expression at risk
'The Office of incoming High Comissioner Volker Türk also regreted that the laws were drafted and adopted without meaningful consultation with civil society and media representantives, and reminded Türkiye that legal
and regulatory frameworks of such wide potential scope and impact should only be adopted after broad public debate.
"Freedom of expression and access to information are necesssary for people’s effective participation in public and political life and essential in any democracy. We call on Türkiye to ensure full respect for freedom of
expression guaranteed under international law”, Ms. Hurtado urged.
HIFA profile: Richard Fitton is a retired family doctor - GP. Professional interests: Health literacy, patient partnership of trust and implementation of healthcare with professionals, family and public involvement in the prevention of modern lifestyle diseases, patients using access to professional records to overcome confidentiality barriers to care, patients as part of the policing of the use of their patient data
Email address: richardpeterfitton7 AT gmail.com
