Jail terms likely for publishing unapproved data in Turkey: Report

Turkish economic researchers may face up to 3 years in prison if they publish unofficial data on indicators without first seeking approval from the country's statistics agency.

Turkish economic researchers may face up to 3 years in prison if they publish unofficial data on indicators without first seeking approval of the country’s statistics agency, according to a draft law. 

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s governing AK Party had planned to submit the proposed legislation to parliament this week but has held off while officials do further work on it, two party officials said on condition of anonymity. 

Meanwhile, Turkey kept interest rates unchanged for a fourth straight month despite a surge in inflation past 60 per cent, putting more onus on the central bank’s unconventional policies to tether the lira. The Monetary Policy Committee held its benchmark at 14 per cent on Thursday.