Turkish presidency answers questions about Centre for Combatting Disinformation

The Journalists' Union of Türkiye (TGS) asked questions to the Presidency's Directorate of Communications regarding the duties and activities of the Centre for Combating Disinformation, via CIMER, within the scope of the Law on the Right to Information.

The Directorate of Communications responded to questions regarding the center’s place in the organizational chart, the department it is affiliated with, its legal basis, the legislation governing its working procedures and principles, as well as personnel titles and budget.

In the answer given, the Presidency's Directorate of Communications reiterated its duty "to provide the necessary information flow to inform the public and relevant authorities with timely and accurate information, and to provide services for determining their impact on the public," pursuant to Article 3 of the Presidential Decree on the Organization of the Directorate of Communications No. 14.

It was also stated in the response that the Directorate was tasked with "following and evaluating the propaganda activities about Türkiye, cooperating with the public institutions responsible for them, and taking the necessary measures", and that the Centre for Combating Disinformation was established with the approval of the Presidency for this purpose.

It was noted in the response that the center’s duties include monitoring and combating disinformation campaigns against Türkiye, adding that the center monitors psychological operations, propaganda, perception management operations, internal and external disinformation campaigns, and operates against manipulation and disinformation directed towards Türkiye.

In the response, which noted that, as part of the activities, the weekly "Disinformation Bulletin" was also published on the Directorate of Communications' website, it was emphasized that the center’s activities were open to the public and stated, "The said activities can be accessed via our Directorate's website without the requirement to exercise the right to information."

In the response, it was stated that the Centre for Combatting Disinformation carried out its activities with coordinators, experts, assistant experts, contracted personnel, and other personnel assigned from other public institutions and organizations and that the center did not have an independent budget. (ILKHA)