CHP Ankara Deputy and member of the TBMM Digital Channels Commission, Okan Konuralp, has brought the decision to block access to the Wattpad platform to the agenda of the Turkish Grand National Assembly.
Konuralp submitted a parliamentary question to the Speaker of the TBMM, requesting a response from the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Abdülkadir Uraloğlu. In his motion, Konuralp stated the following:
"The Wattpad platform, which was blocked from access under Article 8/A of Law No. 5651, is a reading and writing-focused platform where users can share their stories and writings. The blocking of this platform by the Ankara 10th Criminal Court of Peace upon the request of the Ministry of Family and Social Services severely restricts freedom of expression, which is guaranteed under Article 26 of the Constitution, as well as freedom of the press and the right to access information, as set forth in Article 28 of the Constitution. The decision has not been shared with the public or legal experts, even following objections to the request and the ruling. Therefore, clearly explaining the grounds and basis for the decision and informing the public is of great importance in terms of the rule of law and the principles of transparent governance."
WHAT HAPPENED
The story and poetry sharing platform Wattpad was blocked from access recently by a decision of the Ankara 10th Criminal Court of Peace. Prof. Dr. Yaman Akdeniz, one of the founders of the Freedom of Expression Association, reacted to the ban by saying, "We have likely become the first country in the world to block access to Wattpad."
News Source: 12punto
