Saturday, February 8, 2014

TURKEY'S NEW INTERNET CENSORSHIP LAWS WILL REDUCE YOUR ABILITY TO OBTAIN INFORMATION FOR DUE DILIGENCE INQUIRIES


New legislation approved by the Turkish legislature this week will allow the government, through its telecom agency, to block any websites without prior court approval. It also requires ISPs to keep records on all web users' access for two years, and to deliver this information to the government, without notifying the user.

There is a well-founded fear that private websites that expose governmental corruption, or any negative information that portrays the government, or any PEPs, in an unfavorable light, will be blocked. This means that you, as a compliance officer performing due diligence, or enhanced due diligence, could be denied the truth about your subject.

Street protests about this new law broke out this week, as members of the Opposition, and their supporters, are upset that their Internet pipeline to information will probably be restricted, and the identities of visitors to websites displaying governmental corruption will become known. Protesters want information about bribery and corruption in government to continue to be freely available.



If compliance officers cannot get negative information from Turkey, then Country Risk levels shall be increased.


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