Imamoglu's X-Account Suspended in Turkey over Alleged Call to Crime
Turkey restricts access to X accounts belonging to Imamoglu, a detained political figure.
The popular social media account of Ekrem Imamoglu, a contender challenging President Erdogan, has been temporarily shut down in Turkey. Authorities claim that a post shared on the account in April breached the law by inciting criminal activity.
Following an investigation by the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office, Imamoglu is facing charges of public incitement to commit a crime under Turkey's penal code. The Turkish Directorate of Communications announced the decision, but Imamoglu's profile is still accessible from other countries such as Germany.
The X account served as a vital medium for sharing messages from Imamoglu, who currently resides in detention. As the account's content was alleged to harm public peace, a court ordered its suspension. Yet, it is not technically viable to block only specific content without restricting the entire account.
Imamoglu's team has disagreed with the court order and has taken legal action to challenge the ban. They emphasize the importance of maintaining access to the platform during emergencies and for preserving free speech in Turkey.
Meanwhile, Imamoglu's arrest has sparked mass protests across the nation, with thousands taking to the streets in regular demonstrations. On Wednesday, protesters gathered in front of a university that revoked Imamoglu's degree shortly before his arrest.
The authorities' actions towards Imamoglu's social media accounts are part of a broader pattern of restricting access to accounts belonging to journalists and news organizations. These actions have garnered criticism for potentially suppressing free speech by human rights organizations [2]. Despite the suspension of his primary account, Imamoglu’s English-language account still remains accessible in Turkey [3].
References:
[1] X's global government affairs team shared the court order and its legal challenge to the suspension.
[2] Since Imamoglu's arrest in March, numerous social media accounts of journalists and news organizations have been restricted in Turkey, actions criticized as blatant attempts to stifle freedom of speech.
[3] While Imamoglu’s X account is blocked within Turkey, his English-language account remains accessible.
- The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers in the media industry, particularly those who face risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation while reporting on sensitive topics such as the suspension of Ekrem Imamoglu's social media account in Turkey.
- Meanwhile, Tayyip Erdogan's supporters have been allegedly sharing misleading information about Imamoglu's arrest on social-media platforms, updating their content to reflect the steady stream of demonstrations by the citizens in Turkey.
- While Imamoglu's team continues to battle legal challenges against the court order that suspended his primary social media account, they are increasingly turning to entertainment and general-news platforms to share their messages and engage with followers.
- Despite mounting criticism from human rights organizations for potentially violating free speech, Turkey's authorities continue to closely monitor and manage access to social media accounts owned by journalists and news organizations.
- In a recent development, Imamoglu's English-language social media account was updated with a message of gratitude towards supporters from around the world, thanking them for their solidarity and sharing news about the ongoing legal battle and demonstrations in Turkey.
