AKP withdraws law proposal seeking jail terms for 'damaging reputation of financing companies'

Photo: AA

Click to read the article in Turkish

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) has withdrawn a law proposal seeking jail terms for journalists over reports that "damage the reputation of" financing companies, financial leasing and factoring companies.

The proposal was removed from an omnibus bill to be reviewed again, AKP deputy Cemal Öztürk said yesterday (March 31).

Part of an omnibus bill containing 39 articles, one article demanded prison sentences of one to three years for journalists who "deliberately create reports that would damage the reputation, wealth and trust of a company."

The article would apply even if the company's name was not mentioned in news reports, according to the bill.

People found guilty according to the article would also receive judicial fines from 1,000 to 2,000 days.

Journalism groups criticized the article, calling it another attempt to restrict press freedom.

CLICK - BİA Media Monitoring Reports

(HA/VK)