Turkey’s Twitter ban meets immediate EU criticism

Author (Person)
Series Title
Series Details 21.03.14
Publication Date 21/03/2014
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On the 21 March 2014, Turkey restricted access to Twitter just hours after Prime Minister Erdogan threatened to 'wipe out' the social network. Links to leaked government recordings and documents had been posted to the site.

On the 20 March 2014, the EU Commissioner on digital affairs, Neelie Kroes, had heavily criticised the Turkish threat to ban access to the social network.

Turkish President Abdullah Gül publically expressed his disagreement with the access restriction of social media websites on the 21 March 2014. 'A total shutdown of social media platforms cannot be approved', Gül tweeted via his own account.

On the 23 March 2014 Turkish Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek defended his government's ban on Twitter, accusing the website of failing to comply with court orders.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was said to have been angry that people had used the website to spread allegations of corruption about members of his inner circle.

Turkey was set to hold municipal elections on the 30 March 2014.

In an election rally on the 23 March 2014 Prime Minister Erdoğan escalated his action against the 'double standards' of Twitter, while also defiantly warning Facebook and YouTube to 'obey Turkish laws'.

An administrative court in Ankara issued a temporary injunction on the 26 March 2014 ordering Turkey's telecommunications authority (TIB) to restore access to Twitter until it could deliver a full verdict on the ban.

On the 2 April 2014, Turkey's constitutional court outlawed the government's attempted ban on social media website Twitter, saying it violated freedom of expression and individual rights.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://euobserver.com/foreign/123564
Related Links
Deutsche Welle, 21.03.14: Twitter access restricted in Turkey after Erdogan threatens to wipe it out http://dw.de/p/1BTa1
BBC News, 21.03.14: Twitter website 'blocked' in Turkey http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26677134
The Guardian, 21.03.14: Turkey blocks use of Twitter after prime minister attacks social media site http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/21/turkey-blocks-twitter-prime-minister
France 24, 21.03.14: Turkey turns off Twitter ahead of key local elections http://www.france24.com/en/20140321-turkey-turns-off-twitter-erdogan-local-elections-censorship/
The New York Times, 21.03.14: Turkey Blocks Twitter Over Graft Recordings http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2014/03/21/world/europe/ap-eu-turkey-twitter.html
ESO: Background information: EU urges Turkey to change internet law http://www.europeansources.info/record/eu-urges-turkey-to-change-internet-law/
Deutsche Welle, 21.03.14: Erdogan defies quagmire of scandal in Turkey http://dw.de/p/1BTaK
European Commission: RAPID: STATEMENT/14/78: Statement of Commissioner Štefan Füle on the blocking of Twitter in Turkey http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-14-78_en.pdf
BBC News, 23.03.14: Turkish Finance Minister Simsek defends Twitter ban http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26703816
ESO: Background information: Calls for Turkey PM Recip Tayyip Erdogan to resign in leaked tape scandal http://www.europeansources.info/record/calls-for-turkey-pm-recip-tayyip-erdogan-to-resign-in-leaked-tape-scandal/
The Guardian, 23.03.14: As Turkey's Erdogan has discovered, you can't turn off Twitter http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/mar/23/erdogan-turkey-twitter-ban-failure-shows-power-of-internet
Hürriyet Daily News, 23.03.14: Twitter, Facebook and YouTube must obey Turkish laws: PM Erdoğan http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/twitter-facebook-and-youtube-must-obey-turkish-laws-pm-erdogan.aspx?pageID=238&nID=63986&NewsCatID=338
Hürriyet Daily News, 21.03.14: Shutdown of social media 'cannot be approved,' President Gül writes on Twitter http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/shutdown-of-social-media-cannot-be-approved-president-gul-writes-on-twitter.aspx?pageID=238&nID=63895&NewsCatID=338
EurActiv, 21.03.14: EU leaders tell Turkey: gagging Twitter is unacceptable http://www.euractiv.com/sections/enlargement/eu-leaders-tell-turkey-gagging-twitter-unacceptable-301053
Radikal, 24.03.14: Gül should secure basic rights, not tweet (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE140561-Guel-should-secure-basic-rights-not-tweet
LSE EuroppBlog, 24.03.14: Turkey’s Twitter ban is easily bypassed, but there are no easy answers to Erdoğan’s abuse of power http://bit.ly/1iS7YF4
Star, 25.03.14: Anger over Twitter blockade is hypocritical (via Euro|Topics) http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/aehnliche/archiv_article/ARTICLE140653-Anger-over-Twitter-blockade-is-hypocritical
BBC News, 26.03.14: Court in Turkey moves to suspend ban on Twitter http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-26749374
Hürriyet Daily News, 27.03.14: EU seeks explanation for Twitter blackout http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/eu-seeks-explanation-for-twitter-blackout.aspx?pageID=238&nID=64154&NewsCatID=339
EUObserver [Opinion], 26.03.14: Questions for Saakashvili, questions for Georgia's EU future http://euobserver.com/opinion/123644
Euronews, 26.03.14: Appeal to end Turkey Twitter ban upheld http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/26/appeal-to-end-turkey-twitter-ban-upheld/
The New York Times, 26.03.14: Turkish Court Overturns the Government’s Ban on Twitter http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/27/world/middleeast/turkey-twitter.html
The Guardian, 26.03.14: Turkish court lifts Twitter ban http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/26/turkish-court-lifts-twitter-ban
Deutsche Welle, 02.04.14: Top Turkish court outlaws Twitter ban, rules it violates free speech http://dw.de/p/1BaPP
Euronews, 03.04.14: Turkey’s Twitter ban ruled unconstitutional by the country’s top court http://www.euronews.com/2014/04/03/turkey-s-twitter-ban-ruled-unconstitutional-by-the-country-s-top-court/
BBC News, 02.04.14: Turkey Twitter ban: Constitutional court rules illegal http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-26849941
EurActiv, 03.04.14: Cold Turkey for Twitter http://www.euractiv.com/sections/enlargement/cold-turkey-twitter-301335

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