During its board meeting on March 27, 2025, RTÜK had decided to grant Fatih Altaylı and the YouTube accounts of Flu TV a 72-hour period to obtain a broadcasting license. Following this, Altaylı and his lawyers applied to the administrative judiciary to have the decision annulled. However, the court rejected the application, ruling that RTÜK's decision did not constitute a subject that could be brought before an administrative court.
According to a report by Can Öztürk from T24, the court stated in its ruling that it was “not possible for the transaction in question to be the subject of an administrative lawsuit on its own,” and concluded the case without addressing its merits.
The regulation implemented by RTÜK in 2019, which brought internet broadcasting under its oversight, has long been a subject of debate regarding freedom of the press and expression. The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) had filed a lawsuit with the Council of State in 2019 for the annulment of the regulation on the grounds that it violates freedom of expression.
PRACTICE CRITICIZED REGARDING FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
The association's Co-Director, Attorney Veysel Ok, recalled that the first lawsuit against the regulation was filed by the MLSA, stating, “No decision was made for five years, but in 2025, the court rejected our request for annulment. Now, the decision is being reviewed on appeal by the Council of State's Administrative Litigation Chambers Board.”
RTÜK's licensing practice for digital platforms and independent broadcasters is criticized by both press organizations and legal experts in terms of freedom of expression. Experts believe that the court's conclusion of the Altaylı case on the grounds of “procedural rejection” will further deepen the debates surrounding the regulation of internet broadcasting.
News Source: 12punto
