content tagged with censorship

Social media platforms censor journalists’ accounts at Turkey’s request

Social media platforms censor journalists’ accounts at Turkey’s request

"They don't even bother pressing charges before detaining or censoring journalists anymore," says Ruşen Takva, one of the journalists whose social media accounts have been censored recently.

26 February 2025 Hikmet Adal

Is RTÜK’s pressure on newspapers for YouTube licenses new threat to freedom of expression?

Is RTÜK’s pressure on newspapers for YouTube licenses new threat to freedom of expression?

MLSA Co-Director Barış Altıntaş: “The license demanded from Cumhuriyet newspaper for its YouTube channel shows how hungry RTÜK is to expand its scope of inspection”.

10 January 2025 Hikmet Adal

MA, JINNEWS and Yeni Yaşam accounts withheld on X

MA, JINNEWS and Yeni Yaşam accounts withheld on X

The Dicle Fırat Journalists’ Association declared that “the decisions amount to censorship” and stated that they will be filing criminal complaints.

Exhibit sheds light on censorship and self-censorship in art in Turkey

Exhibit sheds light on censorship and self-censorship in art in Turkey

The exhibition focuses on challenges faced by political prisoners and dissident artists in Turkey.

17 November 2024

Director Luca Guadagnino doubts Turkish authorities saw his film 'Queer' before banning it

Director Luca Guadagnino doubts Turkish authorities saw his film 'Queer' before banning it

The ban on the movie led to the cancellation of the MUBI Fest İstanbul last week.

14 November 2024

Tuğçe Yılmaz

Municipality censors artwork at İstanbul gallery over ‘obscenity’

Municipality censors artwork at İstanbul gallery over ‘obscenity’

The opposition-held municipality of the Beyoğlu district removed an artwork without notice.

31 October 2024 Tuğçe Yılmaz

Three issues of pro-Kurdish newspaper Yeni Yaşam seized in a week

Three issues of pro-Kurdish newspaper Yeni Yaşam seized in a week

The newspaper's editor-in-chief Mehmet Ali Çelebi suggests that the recent censorship reflects the ruling bloc's attempt to shape any potential new "peace process" with the Kurds to fit their own agenda.

18 October 2024 Hikmet Adal

Court orders block on bianet report on Turkey-Israel-Qatar military cooperation

Court orders block on bianet report on Turkey-Israel-Qatar military cooperation

The law article which constituted the legal ground for the censorship will no longer be effective as of Oct 10, according to a Constitutional Court decision.

Turkey considers banning Discord amid child abuse, cyberbullying allegations

Turkey considers banning Discord amid child abuse, cyberbullying allegations

The app has come under scrutiny after messages praising a teenager who burtally killed two 19-year-old women.

İzmir newspaper faces censorship after report on religious group's involvement in student housing

İzmir newspaper faces censorship after report on religious group's involvement in student housing

The newspaper wasn’t allowed to publish the story concerning the religious group that the printing house is linked to.

Court blocks social media accounts of two Kurdish journalists

Court blocks social media accounts of two Kurdish journalists

The court provided “national security” reasons for the decision.

Pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya Agency’s website blocked

Pro-Kurdish Mezopotamya Agency’s website blocked

The agency has changed its domain to continue its operations.

Instagram continues to censor Hamas-related posts despite agreement with Turkey

Instagram continues to censor Hamas-related posts despite agreement with Turkey

While the messages of senior government officials remain accessible, the platform removes similar messages from other users.

Turkey restores access to Instagram after Hamas row

Turkey restores access to Instagram after Hamas row

The initial disagreement between government officials and Meta reportedly arose over the definition of “terrorism.” Meanwhile, Meta had already removed or restricted nearly 2,500 posts as per Turkish authorities' requests in the first half of 2024.

Sixty-one bar associations in Turkey demand lift of Instagram ban

Sixty-one bar associations in Turkey demand lift of Instagram ban

The ban was enacted following the government’s criticism of the platform’s alleged censorship of condolences for killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.

‘Instagram ban could cost Turkey $57 million daily’

‘Instagram ban could cost Turkey $57 million daily’

Government officials are scheduled to meet with Instagram representatives today, and the transport minister has expressed optimism that the ban may soon be lifted.

Turkey blocks Instagram after Erdoğan aide’s ‘censorship’ claim over killed Hamas leader

Turkey blocks Instagram after Erdoğan aide’s ‘censorship’ claim over killed Hamas leader

The president’s communications director criticized Instagram for censoring messages of condolences for the Hamas leader. Hours later, the internet authority blocked the platform without providing a specific reason.

Turkey’s media regulator penalizes streaming platforms over 'immoral' movies

Turkey’s media regulator penalizes streaming platforms over 'immoral' movies

Netflix has been fined due to the comedy film ‘Sausage Party’ and MUBI and BluTV have been fined due to ‘Climax.’ The platforms have been ordered to remove these movies.

Access to news site banned after pro-government media group’s request

Access to news site banned after pro-government media group’s request

Medya Radar, a news site focusing on the journalism sector, had reported allegations of low wages against the Turkuvaz Media group.

Turkey becomes first country to ban Wattpad

Turkey becomes first country to ban Wattpad

Prior to the ban, there had been increasing criticism on social media from conservative groups regarding the content available on Wattpad.

Pro-Erdoğan professor gets over 2,900 articles about him censored

Pro-Erdoğan professor gets over 2,900 articles about him censored

Among the censored content is bianet's Media Monitoring Report, which documents all detected violations of press freedom in Turkey.

Censorship on bianet article lifted after top court ruling

Censorship on bianet article lifted after top court ruling

New regarding the death of a patient in an İzmir hospital was censored. The censorship has been lifted after the Constitutional Court annulled a law article allowing access bans on grounds of "violation of personal rights."

Mezopotamya Agecy censored

Mezopotamya Agecy censored

In response to the censorship of the domain, the Mezopotamya Agency switched to mezopotamyaajansi.net.

Ekşi sözlük ban lifted following top court verdict

Ekşi sözlük ban lifted following top court verdict

Ekşi Sözlük, one of the most popular websites in Turkey, has been banned several times since last year's earthquakes.

23 January 2024

Report: Turkey blocked over 4,400 Twitter URLs in 2022

Report: Turkey blocked over 4,400 Twitter URLs in 2022

Most of the tweets were related to irregularity allegations against public officials and “violation of personal rights” was the most common reason, according to the Free Web Turkey report.

21 December 2023

Turkey’s ‘Ekşi Sözlük’ social media site banned again

Turkey’s ‘Ekşi Sözlük’ social media site banned again

A group monitoring online censorship in the country reported that the website was banned for reasons related to “national security and the preservation of public order.”

14 December 2023

Report: Turkey blocked access to over 40,000 URLs in 2022

Report: Turkey blocked access to over 40,000 URLs in 2022

The major portion of access restrictions in the past year targeted media outlets critical of the government and news related to President Erdoğan and his family, shows the Free Web Turkey report.

30 October 2023

Minister: Turkey blocked 108 million attempts to access 'harmful' websites in a decade

Minister: Turkey blocked 108 million attempts to access 'harmful' websites in a decade

Those "harmful" websites are primarily identified through the filtration of various keywords, which at times results in the blocking of LGBTI+ websites.

Prisoner's drawing materials seized during cell raid

Prisoner's drawing materials seized during cell raid

The justification for confiscating the pens was cited as "drawing party flags and symbols."

Court blocks access to news report that led to detention of five journalists

Court blocks access to news report that led to detention of five journalists

The journalist who reported on the reassignment of a married judge and prosecutor presiding over the same case was remanded in custody. Four others, including a bianet editor, were briefly detaining for retweeting a post containing this information.

Courts block access to hundreds of news pieces about Erdoğan's sons

Courts block access to hundreds of news pieces about Erdoğan's sons

The blocked news pieces include domestic and international corruption allegations against Bilal Erdoğan and the 1998 killing of a singer, for which Burak Erdoğan stood trial.

Court blocks access to reports about employment agency official's deceptive conduct towards job-seeking women

Court blocks access to reports about employment agency official's deceptive conduct towards job-seeking women

Gıyas Güven was accused of enticing women seeking employment by promising them jobs and engaging in sexual relationships with them.

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