NGOs start campaign against new bill 'threatening civil society'

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Fifty-two organizations have started a petition against a new bill allowing the government to tighten the control on NGOs.

Having passed the parliament's Committee for Justice, the bill will be discussed in the general assembly Thursday (December 22).

The bill authorizes the Ministry of Interior to dismiss NGO heads who have a "terror" investigation against them, inspect NGOs on a yearly basis and cancel unpermitted charity collection.

Although the proposal is named, "Bill on Preventing the Spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction" only six of its 43 articles are about this subject.

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The petition published on siviltoplumsusturulamaz.com says the bill is against the Constitution and the human rights conventions signed by Turkey and acquired rights.

The bill "severely restricts" the charity collection and freedom of association of NGOs and includes provisions that would ensure the "political tutelage" of the Ministry of Interior on associations and foundations, says the petition.

"If the proposal passes into law without change, human rights associations, associations that carry out activities in the fields of women's rights, refugees' rights, children's-youth's rights, and LGBTI+ rights, various legal associations, associations engaged in social struggles and associations that use social funds, fellow country people associations, sports clubs, and all of the associations and foundations of different religious groups will face the risk of being closed with a single signature and a 'quick shutdowné procedure will be created as the administrative lawsuits to be filed will continue for years," notes the petition.

The petition has been signed by 129 organizations, including IPS Communication Foundation / bianet, the Human Rights Foundation of Turkey (TİHV/HRFT), the Kaos GL Association, the Human Rights Association (İHD) and unions affiliated with the Confederation of Progressive Trade Unions of Turkey (DİSK) and the Confederation of Public Employees' Trade Unions (KES)K). (HA/VK)