The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) has blocked access to the X accounts of numerous individuals, including freelance journalist Yusuf Çelik, Esra Ece Kutlu, Zilan Azad, Kaos GL Editor Oğulcan Özgenç, sendika.org Editorial Board Member Nisan Çıra, and journalist Yıldız Tar, who was arrested on June 25.
Last week, on June 19, the X accounts of many associations and organizations advocating for LGBTI+ rights and sharing content related to LGBTI+ issues were blocked in Turkey.
Today (June 27), access to numerous X accounts—including those of freelance journalist Yusuf Çelik, Esra Ece Kutlu, Zilan Azad, Kaos GL Editor Oğulcan Özgenç, and sendika.org Editorial Board Member Nisan Çıra—was blocked on the grounds of “protecting national security and public order.”
Additionally, the X account of Yıldız Tar, Editor-in-Chief of Kaos GL and a journalist who was arrested on June 25, was also blocked today.
According to Kaos GL, X stated in a notification sent to users that the request for the access block was issued by the Information and Communications Technologies Authority (BTK). Accordingly, the decision to block access was made citing Article 8/A of Law No. 5651, “On the Regulation of Publications Made on the Internet and the Fight Against Crimes Committed Through Such Publications.”
