Access bans on social media accounts were protested in front of the Constitutional Court (AYM) in Ankara. The demonstration, organized at the call of the YENİ Party, was attended by political parties, professional organizations, non-governmental organizations, and users whose accounts have been subjected to access bans.
During the protest, slogans such as “No to censorship” and “There is no salvation alone, either all together or none of us” were chanted. Participants emphasized that the access ban decisions have serious consequences for freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and the public's right to information.
YENİ Party Group Deputy Chairman Gökhan Günaydın stated that the regulation regarding access bans and content removal decisions should be addressed by the AYM, and called for a stay of execution and cancellation.
Günaydın said that with the regulation made in July, some powers previously held by the Information and Communication Technologies Authority were transferred to the Cyber Security Authority. Stating that the head of the institution can make a decision to block a site or remove content, Günaydın expressed that these decisions are requested to be implemented shortly after being notified to the relevant parties.
Arguing that applications to the criminal judgeships of peace do not provide a truly independent and effective judicial guarantee, Günaydın said, “Thousands, tens of thousands of accounts have been blocked.” Addressing the AYM, Günaydın stated, “First of all, take up this issue, decide to stay its execution, and cancel it without delay. Because if there is no freedom of the press, if there is no freedom of expression, nothing remains. You cannot silence Turkey with censorship.”
THOSE WHOSE ACCOUNTS WERE BLOCKED SPOKE
Speaking on behalf of the Freedom of Expression Association, legal expert Kerem Altıparmak stated that they have nearly a thousand applications regarding access bans at the AYM. Altıparmak said that the association reports on access bans and content removal decisions, and that they have made applications on behalf of journalists and citizens both in domestic law and at the European Court of Human Rights.
Özlem Akarsu Çelik from the Journalists' Association stated that journalists' accounts cannot be seen merely as personal accounts, saying, “We are the memory of society.” Çelik expressed that as professional organizations, they will not bow to censorship.
Journalists' Union of Turkey Ankara Branch President Sinan Tartanoğlu also said that access bans mean the concealment of information and the narrowing of people's opportunities to question. Tartanoğlu emphasized that journalism is done for the public interest.
KAOS GL Editor-in-Chief Yıldız Tar said that their websites have been blocked three times and their social media accounts many times. Tar stated that LGBTI+ individuals are fighting for a life worthy of human dignity and called for solidarity against access bans.
Speaking at the protest, Prof. Dr. Barış Övgün said that he did not know why his account was blocked and could not access the court decision. Psychologist Kıvılcım Kuran stated that her account was blocked on the grounds of “obscenity,” adding that freedom of expression is also critical for social well-being.
Speaking on behalf of the Equality for Women Platform, Nezahat Demiray stated that access bans cannot be seen merely as the closing of a social media account, saying that this is a “structural violation” and a severe damage to democracy.
Psychiatric Association of Turkey President Selçuk Candansayar stated that their association was also blocked from access on the grounds of “obscenity.” Turkish Medical Association Secretary General Ali Karakoç expressed that the news produced by press workers is a public activity for the benefit of society.
Representatives from KESK, the Union of All Retirees, the Chamber of Computer Engineers, and various political parties also called for an end to access bans in their speeches. At the end of the protest, the usernames of users, journalists, and academics whose access was blocked were written on a symbolic “wall of shame” erected in front of the AYM.
News Source: 12punto
