X blocks access to accounts of 3 Kurdish journalists in Turkey

Three Kurdish journalists in Turkey have had their X accounts blocked following a request from the Turkish government, citing concerns over “national security,” according to the Bianet news website.

The affected journalists — Abdurrahman Gök, Oktay Candemir and Ruşen Takva — join a growing list of media professionals and activists whose accounts have been restricted on X. Gök’s Instagram and YouTube accounts were also taken down.

The journalists’ accounts were blocked following court orders that cited broad justifications, including “national security, public order and preventing the spread of misleading information.”

The Turkish government has tightened its control over the media in recent months as part of a broader crackdown on opposition groups, which has resulted in the arrest of journalists, activists and politicians as the government intensifies its grip on public discourse.

Takva told Bianet that media outlets in Turkey have been forced to take sides, with 95 percent of them now supporting the government.

“The new regime has forced journalists to choose sides, and the media that remains independent is systematically targeted,” he said. “It’s no longer about accusations; they are censoring without even pretending to follow due process.”

Takva was also among five journalists detained last week for allegedly spreading false information after reporting on the appointment of a government trustee to the Van Municipality in eastern Turkey. He described the recent censorship as part of a worsening pattern of repression against Kurdish journalists.

Criticism of social media platforms

Gök, another journalist affected by the censorship, criticized social media companies for complying with government orders without transparency.

“Social media platforms are turning a blind eye to their own rules when it suits their interests,” Gök said. “They follow Turkey’s unlawful demands without providing any transparency on the process.”

Over the past few months X has blocked dozens of accounts belonging to Turkish journalists, activists and media organizations, including those operated by journalists living in exile. Some of these accounts had hundreds of thousands of followers.

X, which appointed a representative in Turkey after the introduction of a controversial 2020 social media law, has faced criticism for its compliance with Turkish censorship demands. The law, which requires social media companies with over 1 million users to maintain representatives in Turkey, was widely condemned by human rights and press freedom groups as a tool for state control over digital platforms.

In the lead-up to Turkey’s May 2023 general election, X complied with government requests to censor four accounts and 409 tweets critical of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his government. The platform had previously been banned in Turkey in 2014 after refusing to comply with government takedown requests.

Erdoğan and X owner Elon Musk have held a series of meetings both in Turkey and on the sidelines of international forums, seemingly developing a friendship.

Press freedom in Turkey has been in decline for years, with increasing reports of censorship, arrests and legal pressure on journalists. Human rights groups warn that these latest restrictions represent a significant threat to the free press and the public’s right to independent information.