The most useful skill when working with press legislation is knowing which version of a text you are reading. The Official Gazette citation tells you.
How to Read a Citation
Every legislative text carries a citation at its head. Examples from the sources used across this site:
| Legislation | Adoption / decision date | Official Gazette |
|---|---|---|
| Press Law No. 5187 | 9/6/2004 | 26/6/2004 - 25535 |
| Law No. 5953 | 13/6/1952 | Cited by its adoption date |
| Law No. 6112 | 15/2/2011 | 3/3/2011 - 27863 |
| Legal Deposit Law No. 6279 | 22/2/2012 | 29/2/2012 - 28219 |
| Press Card Regulation | Presidential Decision 9/4/2023-7051 | 10/4/2023 - 32159 |
| Agency Principle Decision No. 176 | 11/08/2006 | 17/08/2006 - 26262 |
| Agency Principle Decision No. 141 | 16/08/1996 | 22/08/1996 - 22735 |
| Agency Principle Decision No. 126 | 14/05/1993 | 11/06/1993 - 21604 |
| Agency Principle Decision No. 171 | 25/05/2005 | 07/06/2005 - 25838 |
Read the Entry-into-Force Article
Every law and regulation has an entry-into-force article at the end, and you meet three different patterns:
- "Enters into force on the date of its publication." - The most frequent pattern.
- A particular date. Agency Principle Decision No. 176, for instance, was taken to be effective from 1 January 2007.
- The date of approval. Directives of the Directorate of Communications, for instance, enter into force "on the date they are approved by the President".
Amendment Notes: The History of a Text
In consolidated texts a parenthesis appears at the head of every amended provision. Those notes tell you by which statute and when the article changed:
| Note | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| (Amended: ...) | The article or paragraph has been amended | Law No. 5187 Art. 1 - "(Amended paragraph: 13/10/2022-7418/Art. 1)" |
| (Added: ...) | Added later | Law No. 5187 Art. 4 - "(Added paragraph: 13/10/2022-7418/Art. 3)" |
| (Repealed: ...) | Removed from force | Law No. 5953 Art. 22 - "(Repealed: 15/7/1963 - 274/Art. 33)" |
| (Annulled: ...) | Annulled by a Constitutional Court decision | Law No. 5953 Art. 20 - "(Annulled by the Constitutional Court's decision of 20/1/1993, E.1992/36, K.1993/4)" |
Milestones of Press Legislation
The amending statutes that recur across this site:
| Law | Date | What it brought |
|---|---|---|
| 7418 | 13/10/2022 | Brought internet news sites within Law No. 5187; added the imprint, date stamp, two-year archive and press card provisions |
| 5728 | 23/1/2008 | Reorganised the penalty articles in Law No. 5953 |
| 5980 | 8/4/2010 | Added Arts. 55/A and 55/B to Law No. 298 - polls and internet propaganda |
| 7103 | 21/3/2018 | Added Art. 29/A to Law No. 6112 - the internet broadcasting licence |
| 212 | 4/1/1961 | Rewrote many articles of Law No. 5953 |
| Presidential Decision No. 8624 | 6/6/2024 | Amended the Press Card Regulation - the permanent card calculation and added titles |
Repeated Issues
Some citations carry the word "Repeated" - showing a second or later issue published on the same day. The citation of the Constitution, for instance, reads 9/11/1982, No. 17863 (Repeated).
Why It Matters: Two Examples
First - repealed provisions. Art. 22 of Law No. 5953 is headed "Union" but is repealed. Looking at the heading and assuming there is a provision produces a wrong result. We cover it in the union rights guide.
Second - annulled provisions. A paragraph of a directive may have been annulled by a Council of State decision; it appears as a footnote in the text. In the service-stamped passport directive, for instance, the paragraph removing the obligation to give reasons was annulled that way; we cover it in the service-stamped passport guide.
Where to Find the Source
We gathered where to reach the official texts and which version governs in the media law sources guide, and the history of change in press legislation in the press law timeline.
Summary
- A legislative citation carries two dates: the adoption/decision date and the Official Gazette date.
- Entry into force depends on the text's own entry-into-force article.
- The (Amended), (Added), (Repealed) and (Annulled) notes in consolidated texts give the history of a provision.
- In subordinate instruments, also check that the chain of authority is current.