Access to the messaging and social media platform Discord has been blocked in Turkey. Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç announced that multiple legal investigations targeting the platform have been initiated.
Discord blocked in Turkey
The ban follows recent complaints of harassment and blackmail occurring on Discord. The platform came under scrutiny in Turkey after the tragic case of 19-year-old Semih Çelik. Çelik murdered two young women, Ayşenur Halil and İkbal Uzuner, in Fatih, Istanbul, before taking his own life. Reports suggest that Çelik was active in one or more “incel” groups on Discord.
Since October 9th, users across Turkey have been unable to access Discord. Minister Tunç commented:
“We are committed to protecting our children and youth—the future of our nation—from harmful and criminal content on the internet and social media.”
Just hours before Turkey’s ban, Russia also blocked Discord. Officials cited the platform’s failure to comply with legal requirements. The ban was initiated by Roskomnadzor, the Russian federal agency responsible for monitoring and controlling mass media.
Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç’s Statement on X
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Minister Tunç addressed the presence of groups on platforms like Discord and Telegram accused of violence, blackmail, and sexual assault targeting women and children.
“We will not tolerate any attempts to harm our youth or destabilize the foundations of our society. Our determination to combat crime and criminals is unwavering.”
He confirmed that investigations have been launched ibto Discord users, sharing the following statement:
Medyascope'u destekle. Medyascope'a abone ol.
Medyascope’u senin desteğin ayakta tutuyor. Hiçbir patronun, siyasi çıkarın güdümünde değiliz; hangi haberi yapacağımıza biz karar veriyoruz. Tıklanma uğruna değil, kamu yararına çalışıyoruz. Bağımsız gazeteciliğin sürmesi, sitenin açık kalması ve herkesin doğru bilgiye erişebilmesi senin desteğinle mümkün.
“Public prosecutors have initiated investigations into criminal content on various social media platforms and websites. Platforms and sites that do not remove illegal content or comply with court rulings will face penalties, including fines, advertising bans, bandwidth throttling, and access restrictions, in accordance with Law No. 5651 on ‘Regulating Internet Broadcasts and Combating Crimes Committed via Such Broadcasts.’
The Republic of Turkey is a state governed by the rule of law. It is our responsibility to protect society from crime. Social media platforms and websites with millions of users in Turkey must abide by the country’s laws—no one is above the law.
Besides Discord, access to many social media platforms and messaging apps is banned in Turkey. Last month, Instagram was shut down for weeks.
