Turkish Parliament Approves New Oppression Law amid Controversy

The Turkish Parliament passed Sunday, a law that strengthens the government's grip on charitable institutions and NGOs. Human rights organizations believe this bill is a new restriction on the freedoms of civil society institutions.

The law permits the Minister of Interior to change the members of associations whom the authorities are investigating on terrorism charges. The Ministry of Interior has the right to ask the courts to stop the activities of associations.

International organizations will also be subject to this law and the sanctions it imposes, according to "Reuters".

The Justice and Development Party, led by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, had proposed the law, in cooperation with its ally, the Nationalist Movement, according to Sky News Arabia.

Last week, seven NGOs said in a statement that the accusations of terrorism in Turkey are arbitrary, and that the law violates "the principle of the defendants' innocence until proven guilty," and punishes those whose trials have not yet been completed.

"In light of the investigations that are being conducted with thousands of civil society activists, journalists, politicians and members of unions within the framework of (the anti-terrorism law), there is no doubt that this law will target almost all opposition societies,” the statement added.

Opponents see that the Erdogan government is using the coup attempt, which took place in 2016, as a pretext to crush the opposition.

Under the bill, civil servants search NGOs every year and have access to any documents.

The bill allows provincial governors or the interior minister to stop any online donation campaign to prevent terrorist financing and money laundering and imposes fines of up to 200,000 Turkish lira ($26,500) against any organization found to be involved in illegal online donation campaigns, compared to current fines less than 700 liras.