A new wave of Internet blocking in Turkey
On 25 July, the Turkish government ordered the blocking of 65 popular dissident and Kurdish websites and temporarily slowed down Twitter and Facebook access. This follows the government’s air attack against the Islamic State (Isis) and Kurdish forces in Syria. A few days earlier, Twitter was blocked entirely for a few hours.
On 20 July, an Isis suicide bomber killed 31 members of a youth organisation who were visiting the South Eastern town of Suruç to deliver humanitarian aid to war-torn Kobani. The Turkish government, which is increasingly under pressure for its alleged support to Isis and other al-Qaeda derivatives in Syria, reacted by attacking Isis in northern Syria. Kurdish forces, however, received an allegedly harsher attack from the Turkish government despite their ongoing fight against Isis.
The government’s change of policy is also reflected on pro-Isis websites that were blocked in mid-July. Prior to the attacks, they were allowed to operate freely within the country and had been used for recruitment and propaganda purposes.
The newly blocked websites joined the list of over 81 000 others which are compiled by engelliweb.com.
Turkey blocks Kurdish websites as Twitter and Facebook slows down (25.07.2015)
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/turkey-blocks-kurdish-websites-as-twitter-and-facebook-slows-down.aspx?pageID=238&nid=85917
AKP-backed ISIL group massacres at least 30 in southeastern Turkey (21.07.2015)
http://www.sendika.org/2015/07/akp-backed-isil-group-massacres-at-least-30-in-southeastern-turkey/
Turkey blocks Twitter following suicide bomb attacks (22.07.2015)
http://www.dw.com/en/turkey-blocks-twitter-following-suicide-bomb-attacks/a-18599198
Turkey sends in jets as Syria’s agony spills over every border (26.07.2015)
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jul/26/isis-syria-turkey-us
Efe Kerem Sozeri on Twitter (26.07.2015):
https://twitter.com/efekerem/status/625423034954944512
Nato backs Turkey on IS as Ankara confirms attack on Kurds (29.07.2015)
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/nato-backs-turkey-on-is-as-ankara-confirms-attack-on-kurds-1.2300050
