Türkiye takes precautions against disinformation campaigns aimed at local elections: Official

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) — Türkiye has taken all precautions against disinformation campaigns targeting Sunday's local elections, the country's communications director said.

"We have taken all necessary preparations for the March 31st elections.

"Precautions have been taken to ensure that the operation and credibility of our elections, which are a celebration of democracy in terms of voter turnout, are not compromised," Fahrettin Altun said on X on Sunday.

Türkiye went to the polls on Sunday to elect city mayors, district mayors, and other local officials who will serve for the next five years, including in the hotly contested cities of Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir.

Altun said the elections are "closely" followed by the public both in the world and domestically.

Stressing that the elections are among "the most intensely targeted" processes for disinformation, Altun said, in this regard the Communications Directorate works hard to guarantee that the elections are conducted in a "reliable" communication and information environment.

"As the Directorate of Communications, we are working hard to eliminate disinformation campaigns that seek to: influence our citizens' decisions prior to the election process, cast doubt on election security, and mislead the public by declaring votes invalid, both internally and externally," he added.