Tuncay Mollaveisoğlu points to the danger in the 'influence agent law' insistence: 'These are MOSSAD agents'

'Terror and security expert' Retired Colonel Coşkun Başbuğ declared those who criticize the trade between Turkey and Israel—which has been proven many times by TUIK and Ministry of Trade data—as 'MOSSAD agents' during a live broadcast on TRT.

Başbuğ used the following expressions on the broadcast:

“One side will already use this against you. What I find strange is that this is being brought to the agenda by people from within us.

Unfortunately, there are politicians, academics, and those we know as artists involved in this business. When this issue first came to the agenda, a jet fuel story was fabricated. The ministry made statements and presented documents many times.

Even though these were proven, some people, under the instructions of others, persistently tried to stir this up.

Our minister says, 'this is a MOSSAD operation, they are doing this to stir up Turkey'. It is very clear that they are trying to establish a structure against the political power.

"THIS IS INFLUENCE AGENCY"

Turkey is the last country to be criticized. Therefore, the moment the focal points within us start harping on these things under the instructions of others, only one definition remains. These are MOSSAD agents, my friend. There is no ifs or buts about it. This is influence agency.”

MOLLAVEİSOĞLU REACTED

Journalist and 12punto columnist Tuncay Mollaveisoğlu carried these comments made on TRT to a post on his X account and pointed to the dangers that the law, which was withdrawn 'for now', could cause.

“Terror and security expert” Retired Colonel Coşkun Başbuğ declared those who criticize the trade between Turkey and Israel—which has been proven many times by TUIK and Ministry of Trade data—as ‘MOSSAD agents’ on a TRT broadcast.
Is there anyone who still doesn't understand what they want to do with the influence agent law!

— Tuncay Mollaveisoğlu (@TMollaveisoglu) November 14, 2024

Mollaveisoğlu made the following post:

“Terror and security expert” Retired Colonel Coşkun Başbuğ declared those who criticize the trade between Turkey and Israel—which has been proven many times by TUIK and Ministry of Trade data—as ‘MOSSAD agents’ on a TRT broadcast.

Is there anyone who still doesn't understand what they want to do with the influence agent law!

WHAT DID THE BILL, KNOWN IN THE PUBLIC AS THE 'INFLUENCE AGENT LAW' AND WITHDRAWN, CONTAIN?

The proposal was submitted to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) on Friday, October 18. Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Group Deputy Chairman Murat Emir announced in a post he published on his X account on Wednesday that the legislative proposal known in the public as 'influence agency' had been withdrawn.

Emir said, "...the legislative proposal has been withdrawn as of now, as a result of our work to inform the public by receiving great support from our people for weeks, as well as our work and criticisms in the parliament."

The legislative proposal submitted to the Presidency of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) on Friday, October 18, bore the signatures of AKP deputies such as Rümeysa Kadak (Istanbul), Resul Kurt (Adıyaman), Ahmet Kılıç (Bursa), and Nilhan Ayan (Istanbul).

As discussed in the Parliament, the "Law on Amendments to the Notary Law and Certain Laws" proposal was in the nature of a 23-article 'omnibus law' and included changes or regulations in 12 different laws.

In the 16th article of the proposal, a 'new crime' was being included by adding an article to the 'Crimes Against State Secrets and Espionage' section in the seventh chapter of the Turkish Penal Code No. 5237.

CHP's Emir comments on the submission of the 'influence agency' proposal under the umbrella of the 'Notary Law' as follows: "It would be expected that such a law would be included in a judicial package and come as a fundamental law, but you have added it into the Notary Law. Even this is an example of a lack of seriousness."

Journalists, press professional organizations, and politicians warn that the amendment leads to the same outcome as the 2012 'foreign agent' regulation in Russia, and compare the regulation promised by Article 16 to 'influence agency'.

Influence agency is used to define strategic activities carried out to create a social or political impact on a specific issue. So, what did Article 16, which caused controversy and was withdrawn, contain?

NEW CRIME

The legislative proposal introduces a new article (339/A) to the Turkish Penal Code, to follow Article 339 titled "Committing crimes against the security or political interests of the state," which is regulated under the "Crimes Against State Secrets and Espionage" section in articles 326-339.

In the proposal text, it is stated that the current text sanctions "the destruction, damage, procurement, or disclosure of documents and information regarding the security and internal or external political interests of the state as a crime," and that "carrying out these actions for the purpose of political or military espionage" is also regulated as a crime, while emphasizing that "other activities carried out against the security and internal or external political interests of the state, other than the procurement or disclosure of documents and information," are not evaluated within the scope of the crime.

With the regulation to be made, it is underlined that "those who commit crimes against the security and internal or external political interests of the state in line with the strategic interests or instructions of a foreign state or organization will be punished with imprisonment from three to seven years."

The justification for this is to ensure "more effective combat against espionage activities."

Again, it is requested that "acts that are carried out against the internal or external political interests of the state and constitute a crime be punished separately within the scope of this article."

In this direction, "economic, financial, military, national defense, public health, public security, public order, technological, cultural, transportation, communication, cyber space, critical infrastructures, and energy" are evaluated under the heading of the state's internal or external political interests.

It is stated that for the crime to occur, "the perpetrator must act in line with the strategic interests or instructions of a foreign state or organization."

The 'foreign organization' in question is defined as follows: "It is evaluated as an organization not established or formed according to Turkish law. A foreign organization may be under the nationality of a foreign state or may not be under the nationality of any state."

It is written that if the crime is committed during wartime, the sentence will increase from 8 to 12 years, and if committed by a personnel working in national security institutions, the sentence will be increased by one fold.

Finally, it is stated that the prosecution of the related crimes is subject to the permission of the Ministry of Justice.