Turkey: fresh blocking of social networks and censorship of freedom of expression

17.4.2015

Question for written answer E-006150-15
to the Commission
Rule 130
Mara Bizzotto (NI)

In March this year, the Turkish authorities blocked access to the social networks Twitter, Facebook and YouTube because of the publication by certain users of photographs of the judge Mehmet Selim Kiraz, who had been abducted on 31 March by extremists belong to the Dhkp-C and had then died during the operation by Turkish special forces seeking to free him. The reason given was that users who posted photographs and news or comments concerning the events were producing ‘propaganda for terrorism’.

It should be remembered that the Turkish Government had already imposed the same censorship measures in 2014.

It should also be borne in mind that Turkey’s process of accession to the EU is still under way and that the EU's acquis is constantly being disregarded.

In the light of the above, can the Commission indicate its assessment of the constant breaches of the principle of freedom of expression in that country and what measures it intends to take to safeguard it?