The Turkish Ministry of Justice has drafted a bill to address the legal shortcomings in the area of cyber crime, reports the English daily newspaper the Daily News. The operating of Internet gambling services is addressed among many categories of cyber crime.
For the first time, Turkey will be regulating information crimes outside the scope of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) with the "Regulation of Information Network Services and Information Crimes" bill. Currently under consideration, the bill would impose harsh penalties for cyber-crimes and double sentences for online threats, blackmail, insult and slander already addressed under the TCK.
The offender who is running Internet gambling services could get a jail sentence from six months to two years. The ministry consulted with more than 100 relevant agencies and organizations and hopes to pass the bill in Parliament as soon as possible.
Good times for hackers could be over too. The bill imposes two to five years in prison for individuals involved in illegal interception, data interference (the unauthorized damaging, deletion, deterioration, alteration or suppression of computer data) and systems interference.
Furthermore, unauthorized access to a computer system would be punishable with jail terms from six months to two years or with monetary fines.
Individuals who illegally monitor data on networks will face one to three years of prison time, while those who trace data on a network without accessing that network will face sentences of three to five years. The investigation of these crimes would be possible upon the complaint of the victims.
According Daily News reporter Göksel Bozkurt, freedom of expression and access to information are the fundamental principles of the bill. These liberties can only be limited in cases stipulated by law. All activity regarding information network services would be free. Starting, executing and ending online services would not be subject to authorization, declaration or allowance.
Persons involved in unauthorized damaging, deletion, deterioration, alteration or suppression of a legal document online, forgery and electronic fraud would face sentences of up to three years and a fine.
Those who are still trying to be involved in unauthorized damaging, deletion, deterioration, alteration or suppression of a legal document online, forgery and electronic fraud will face sentences of up to three years and a fine.
If crimes involving threats, blackmail, defamation or insult are committed online, the regular sentences imposed under the TCK would be doubled. Recording personal data and obtaining or distributing such data would be punishable according to provisions stated in the TCK, but sentences would be doubled.
Generating real or manipulated pornographic images, audio data or written documents pertaining to a child would be punishable with sentences from eight to 12 years. Parties who acquire such products for their own use or for other purposes would face jail sentences of up to a year as well as a fine.
Only individuals certified as legal information technology experts would be allowed to serve as experts in court cases concerning computer crime.
The 10 main foreign Internet gambling sites targeting Turkey are: Gamebookers, 10Bet, Bet-at-home, Interwetten, Expekt, Ladbrokes, bwin, Willhill, Betsson, PointBet and Sportingbet.
The best known gaming operators based in Northern Cyprus are BetArena and Bashedeger.
Turkey's local-licensed betting operators are Spor Toto (sports) and TJK (racing).