Statement from T24 following access ban: We are on the job!

The statement is as follows:

"Access has been blocked to T24, which is referenced globally and was ranked first among the 'sources that artificial intelligence platforms refer to for Turkish information verification' in a Stanford University study whose results were announced in July.

From the decision, we understand that the process regarding T24, a leading outlet for mainstream journalism in Turkey, began upon the application of the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. We also learned from the text of the decision that the Istanbul 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace initially rejected the application, but then issued the access ban upon the objection of the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.

The decision regarding T24 is based on the allegation that '118 articles published on T24 in the last year were aimed at disrupting the Turkish family order and weakening the Turkish family structure,' and it is stated that access to T24 and its social media accounts has been blocked 'for the purpose of preventing the commission of crimes and protecting public order.'

We do not know, even now, how the Istanbul 1st Criminal Judgeship of Peace, which rejected the Chief Public Prosecutor's initial application, decided to block access to all of T24's content—not just the 118 articles cited—upon the objection.

THEY LISTED 'FACTUAL ERRORS'

However, when we received the decision, which was sent to some media organizations before being served to T24, we could see the factual error even in the allegation that 'LGBTI propaganda was made in the last year.' Because 22 of the 57 authors who signed the 118 articles used as the basis for the claim are individuals who wrote for T24 'years ago' and have since left! In other words, nearly half of the 57 authors whose 'articles published on T24 in the last year' were cited as the reason for the access ban have not written for T24 for years! Thus, the premise of 'preventing crime by blocking T24' for the future, based on the claim of 'articles published in the last year,' falls apart at this very stage.

How could T24 have disrupted the 'family structure' and 'public order' with articles published years ago, without anyone, including public authorities, being aware of it!

On the other hand, some of the articles that were truly 'published in the last year' and used as justification for the decision do not contain any such content, let alone 'LGBTI propaganda'!

Setting aside the fact that the articles in question fall within the scope of freedom of the press and expression, the decision, which is based on Article 8/A of Law No. 5651 on the Regulation of Publications Made on the Internet and Combating Crimes Committed Through These Publications, is also contrary to the purpose of the amendment made to said law. It was announced that the amendment to the law was made 'for the purpose of only blocking access to the content subject to the lawsuit and preventing the blocking of access to the entire publication.'

While preparing to apply for legal processes, T24 removed the 118 articles that were the subject of the decision sent to it by the Access Providers Association. It also notified the Access Providers Association that it had removed the articles in question within the specified 4 hours.

"WE ARE RAPIDLY PURSUING LEGAL PROCESSES AND FILING OUR OBJECTIONS"

Despite this, an access ban was imposed on all content of T24, which ranks in the top 3,300 among approximately 500 million active websites in the world, in the top 350 among all media/news outlets in the world, in the top 70 among approximately 500 thousand sites in Turkey, and in the top 20 among media/news outlets in Turkey; which broke a record by winning nine journalism awards just this year; and which is the first source that artificial intelligence platforms refer to in their information verification processes.

Against this truly unjust, disproportionate, and excessive decision, we are rapidly pursuing legal processes and filing our objections with lawyers who rushed to our side from the very first moment.

The decision in question came after a smear campaign targeting T24 with the 'same visual and same text' on social media last weekend. We did not address those who slandered that 'T24 receives millions of liras in funding and uses these funds to conduct LGBTI propaganda.' Our dozens of statements, which include the fact that T24 has not received a single penny from any person, institution, fund, association, or similar entity for 17 years, and that this situation has been confirmed by five audits conducted by the state, are on record. We do not know where those who target T24 with this lie are fed from, but T24 does journalism independent of ideological and financial obsessions, using only the income it generates itself.

T24 does not engage in propaganda, it does not target anyone; but it fights to protect the rights and laws of everyone, whoever they may be.

T24 does not receive a single penny from any fund, person, company, or anyone else. However, unlike those who consume every resource, including public institutions and municipal facilities, with a brazen appetite, it does not engage in any off-the-books work and does not delay its tax and premium obligations to the state and its employees for even a single day.

Dear readers, our followers, who have numbered in the millions over the years, T24 has not closed, journalism cannot be closed! Access to T24 content has been blocked. We are applying to all legal channels to have this ban lifted and for this mistake to be corrected.

We are on the job!"