Access to Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu’s X(formerly known as Twitter) account was blocked early Thursday (May 8). The mayor has been imprisoned since March 19th on alleged corruption charges described by the Turkish opposition as politically motivated.
| Istanbul Mayor’s X account blocked in Turkey |
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| Istanbul Mayor’s X account blocked in Turkey |
Internet users in Turkey attempting to access the mayor’s account Thursday were met with the message “Account withheld: @ekrem_imamoglu has been withheld in TR in response to a legal demand.”
The final post on İmamoğlu’s account from Wednesday evening was an invitation from the mayor for supporters to join a rally held in Istanbul’s Beyazıt Square organized by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP).
İmamoğlu’s X account remains accessible to users outside of Turkey. The account can also be accessed within the country by users with a VPN.
Turkish authorities cite concerns over national security and public order
The Center for Countering Misinformation, which is part of Turkey’s Communications Ministry, released a statement saying İmamoğlu’s X account had been blocked on the grounds of “sharing posts not made by the mayor himself and with the intention of causing harm to the public”. The announcement also noted that the ban would remain in place until İmamoğlu is freed from prison.
A statement from the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor also cited the same grounds for the ban as the Communications Ministry, while also noting that İmamoğlu’s X account had served as a platform for “propaganda for the criminal organization which he founded.”
CHP reacts
On Thursday afternoon, CHP head Özgür Özel called on X users to follow İmamoğlu’s international account instead, which remains accessible in Turkey. The Mayor’s international account had been previously used for sharing English-language posts.
İmamoğlu’s wife Dilek, Ankara Mayor Mansur Yavaş, İzmir Mayor Cemil Tugay, and other opposition politicians shared posts Thursday condemning the ban.
X releases statement
Authorities from X released a statement Thursday afternoon condemning the ban but agreeing to uphold it:
“While we have followed Türkiye’s order regarding the account, we strongly disagree with the order and are challenging the order in court.”
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The post mentioned that access to X could have been entirely cut off in Turkey if the platform had elected not to comply with the Turkish court’s decision.
Internet restrictions in Turkey
Restrictions on social media platforms by authorities have become commonplace in Turkey in recent years. Following devastating earthquakes in southeastern Anatolia in February 2023, Twitter access was heavily restricted, leading to criticisms that the measures were restricting the flow of information, aid, and relief supplies.
Several weeks later, access to the popular Turkish website Ekşi Sözlük was also blocked, leading to similar criticisms. Authorities defended the bans, saying they had been implemented due to “provocative social media posts”.
Instagram was also banned for 8 days in Turkey in August 2024, along with the gaming platform Roblox.
During Turkey’s major protests in late March following İmamoğlu’s detention, major bandwidth restrictions were imposed, limiting access to X and causing many internet users to open VPNs to circumvent the bans.
Written/translated for Medyascope by Leo Kendrick
