The Turkish court's decision to block access to the news site T24 due to the publication of content regarding the LGBTQ+ community has been heavily criticized. Yıldız Tar, editor of the Kaos GL site, stated that this action effectively treats objective reporting on LGBTQ+ issues as a crime.
Outcome of the Judicial Decision
The Turkish government has recently blocked access to T24 and its social media accounts under the pretext of an investigation called "My Family is Safe." Officials announced that the site published 118 articles last year that were identified as "LGBTQ+ propaganda." These restrictions are specifically targeted against LGBTQ+ groups and activists in this field, and according to the government, aim to protect family values and children.
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Reactions from the Media Community and Human Rights Activists
Yıldız Tar, in an interview, strongly reacted to officials' descriptions of her reports, stating: "Writing objectively about LGBTQI individuals is not a crime. It is a reality that needs to be covered." She added that the published articles included LGBTQ+ rights, hate crimes, and the experiences of these individuals following the 2023 earthquake in Turkey.
Kandan Yıldız, editor of T24, also emphasized that this decision is just part of the restrictions that began last month and have gradually led to the persecution of LGBTQ+ activists and organizations. He stated: "We are actually experiencing a digital state of emergency. An official tells journalists: you can report these stories, but you are not allowed to report these. This really undermines the foundations of our profession."
In light of these developments, many individuals are awaiting trial in prison, and courts continue to block websites and social media accounts belonging to LGBTQ+ groups and related media. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of Turkey, has made harsh statements against the LGBTQ+ community in recent years and referred to the trend of "global gender policies" at the United Nations General Assembly, emphasizing the need to protect traditional families.
The European Union has also expressed concern over the recent arrests and online restrictions, calling for respect for freedom of expression and media freedom in Turkey.
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