Social media access thrust into limitation in Turkey, cohering with escalating protests summoned by the opposition faction
In a significant turn of events, Turkey has experienced widespread disruptions in internet connectivity and social media access following a court decision to remove the leadership of the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party (CHP), and appoint trustees in their place.
The disruptions have affected various social media platforms and messaging applications, including WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Telegram, TikTok, and Signal. According to NetBlocks, an organization that monitors internet censorship globally, these disruptions were reported on multiple networks.
NetBlocks' monitoring platform also revealed that the social media restrictions have affected live metrics. The organization confirmed widespread disruptions in Turkey on Sunday, particularly in Istanbul, where the disruptions occurred on the same day that opposition supporters had planned to rally in six districts.
The CHP had called for rallies in response to the court ruling, and the social media limitations followed a ban on demonstrations for four days starting Sept. 7 in Istanbul. This type of blocking was last experienced during the arrest of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu.
The October 2022 "disinformation law" in Turkey permits authorities to implement bandwidth restrictions on social media platforms. The court ruling that led to these internet restrictions was issued by a Turkish court; however, the exact name or individual judge responsible for the ruling is not specified in the provided information.
Many Turkish citizens use virtual private networks (VPNs) to circumvent internet restrictions in Turkey. VPNs create secure connections between devices and remote servers, allowing users to access blocked content by routing their internet traffic through computers in other countries.
As of now, there is no improvement in the situation, according to Isik Mater, director of research at NetBlocks. The blockade continues to be observed following the court decision to remove the leadership of the Republican People's Party (CHP) and appoint trustees in their place. The main opposition party's headquarters was also blockaded by police.
This development comes at a critical time in Turkish politics, with the country's political landscape already fraught with tension and division. The situation is being closely watched by international observers and human rights groups, who express concern over the potential suppression of free speech and democratic processes.
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