Turkey Takes Down Imamoglu's X-Account: A Questionable Call to Crime?
Turkey imposes restrictions on X social media accounts of detained mayor Imamoglu.
In a questionable move, the X-account of Ekrem Imamoglu, the imprisoned and ousted Istanbul mayor, has been shut down in Turkey. As per the Turkish Communications Directorate, the Istanbul Prosecutor's Office has initiated an investigation against Imamoglu for allegedly inciting a crime in a post from April on his X page [1][2][4].
The X account, which served as a platform for Imamoglu's team to share updates with the public while he's in detention, has been suspended [3]. The court granted the suspension as it's not feasible to block individual content. However, Imamoglu's profile remains accessible in other countries, like Germany.
X has voiced its disapproval of the suspension, stating in a release, "Although we have obeyed Turkey's order regarding the account, we disagree with the order and are contesting it in court" [1]. The company emphasized that maintaining access to the platform in Turkey is vital for preserving freedom of speech and access to information, particularly during emergencies and natural disasters.
Turkey's ongoing crisis reached new heights when Imamoglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's biggest rival, was taken into custody on corruption charges, with his arrest sparking a series of mass protests [5]. The public's discontent grew even more when Imamoglu's alma mater, the university where he once studied, revoked his degree just before his arrest [3].
In an attempt to silence his opposition, critics say the government is using the judiciary to eliminate Imamoglu, one of Erdogan's fiercest adversaries in the upcoming election. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people continue to take to the streets to demand justice for their mayor [5].
Sources:1. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/turkeys-imamoglu-challenges-court-order-blocking-account-2021-04-28/2. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/27/turkish-courts-suspend-imamoglu-official-accounts-over-incitement-claims3. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/4/28/taking-back-the-city-istanbul-protests-over-mayor-erdogan-s-arrest-continue4. https://www.dw.com/en/imamoglu-turkish-court-to-decide-on-mayor-s-x-account-appeal/a-575193195. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/20/turkish-authorities-detain-istanbul-mayor-ekrem-imamoglu-on-corruption-charges
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, given the ongoing controversy surrounding Imamoglu's case in Turkey.
- In the midst of the suspense surrounding Imamoglu's X-account, the Turkish government faces allegations of employing questionable tactics in updating politics and general-news instances, such as this.
- In light of the latest developments in the Imamoglu case, including the shutdown of his X-account and the revocation of his degree, continued debates about crime-and-justice in Turkey are inevitable.
- Following the suspension of Imamoglu's X-account, discussions on maintaining freedom of speech and access to information in the digital age have gained traction, reaching corridors of power such as the Commission, implicated in ionizing radiation protection laws.
