MLSA, Article 19, and Alternatif Bilişim Derneği urge Turkish government to comply with universal freedom of expression standards at UN Human Rights Council
The Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA), alongside London-based Article 19 and Ankara-based Alternatif Bilişim Derneği, presented a statement at the 57th session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, calling on the Turkish government to adhere to international standards on freedom of expression.
The joint statement, submitted during the General Debate on Item 4, highlighted several key concerns, including:
- In 2023, over 200,000 URLs were blocked in Turkey. In August 2024, access to Instagram was blocked for more than a week without transparency or accountability.
- Turkey restricts social media access during crises, such as the February 2023 earthquakes when X (formerly Twitter) and TikTok faced bandwidth throttling for 12 hours. This occurred while people trapped under rubble were using Twitter to call for help, hampering rescue efforts.
- The judiciary has failed to enforce rulings by the Constitutional Court that support freedom of expression. The Turkish Parliament has not addressed the structural issues in laws identified by these rulings. Various provisions used for internet censorship are set to be repealed by the Constitutional Court on October 10.
The statement called on the Turkish government to:
- Ensure that Constitutional Court decisions are implemented.
- Amend or repeal laws that do not meet freedom of expression standards.
- Refrain from restricting access to social media platforms through bandwidth throttling or blocking.
- Avoid pressuring social media platforms to censor content.
- Act transparently in all interventions affecting internet freedom.
The statement emphasizes the need for Turkey to align its practices with global human rights standards, especially regarding freedom of expression and internet freedom.
