IPI and partner organisations call on authorities to halt new restrictions, and on X and Meta to resist them
The International Press Institute (IPI) has joined ARTICLE 19, Human Rights Watch, the Freedom of Expression Association (İFÖD), and other human rights and media freedom organisations in raising serious concern over the escalation of internet censorship in Turkey.
In September alone, İFÖD documented orders to block at least 1,270 accounts on X, with a combined following of 35 million. X complied with at least 90% of them.
Authorities blocked the website and X account of T24, one of Turkey’s biggest and oldest remaining independent news outlets, whose website and X account were blocked on September 29 amid the “Ailem Güvende” (My Family is Safe) operations targeting LGBTQ+ people and those who defend their rights. Most orders relied on Article 8/A of the Internet Law.
The signatories call on the authorities to halt new restrictions and restore access to blocked content. They also urge X, Meta,and other platforms to resist arbitrary blocking orders, notify affected users, publish transparency data, and review pending appeals.