Istanbul, Sept 15. (dpa/GNA) – Dozens of X accounts belonging to human rights organizations, journalists and LGBT rights advocates, have been blocked in Turkey, according to reports on Monday.
Turkish internet censorship monitoring initiative Engelliweb, reported that a court ordered the blocking of dozens of profiles.
Among the accounts inaccessible in Turkey on Monday, were those of the Turkish lawyers’ association MLSA, and women’s rights organization Mor Dayanışma.
The first accounts were blocked after authorities, carried out nationwide raids over the weekend, targeting several LGBT organizations and venues, according to government statements.
Engelliweb said the accounts of Amnesty International Turkey and the opposition newspaper Evrensel, were also blocked on Monday. The reasons cited by the Istanbul criminal court for the blocking orders were not initially made public.
Following the weekend raids, numerous activists expressed solidarity with those affected on social media. Judicial authorities have opened investigations on suspicion of offences including obscenity.
President Recep Tayyip ErdoÄŸan, has in the past described LGBT groups as “perverse movements”, and announced measures against what he calls “gender-neutralization policies.”
He has cited the declining birth rate, among other reasons, in support of such measures.
Homosexuality is not illegal in Turkey. Emma Sinclair-Webb, Turkey representative for Human Rights Watch, wrote on X that the arrests of LGBT rights advocates showed the Turkish government’s determination to restrict the LGBT community without introducing new legislation.
GNA