Turkish parliament passes disputed bill amending press, social media laws

Turkey’s parliament passed a contentious bill on Thursday that amends press and social media laws with the stated aim of combatting fake news and disinformation.

Critics fear that as elections loom, the measure will be used to further crack down on social media and independent reporting.

The 40-article legislation was approved with the votes of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s governing party and its nationalist allies, which together hold a majority in parliament.

The vote came following raucous sessions in parliament, which saw opposition legislators clap and shout to disrupt proceedings, hold up signs denouncing what they called the censorship law and one lawmaker smash a smartphone with a hammer.