As political unrest continues to swirl in Turkey following the detention of the opposition mayor of Istanbul, Turkish authorities have requested the suspension of more than 700 accounts on the social media platform X.
These accounts reportedly belong to journalists, news organizations, political figures, students, and various individuals critical of the government.
In response, X issued a statement on Sunday condemning the request, stressing its commitment to free speech. “We object to the multiple court orders issued by Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) demanding the blocking of over 700 accounts,” the platform said.
“At X, protecting free expression is a core value, and we firmly believe this move by the Turkish government is not only unlawful but severely restricts access to critical news and political dialogue for millions of Turkish users,” the company continued. “We are prepared to defend these fundamental rights through the legal process and remain steadfast in our commitment to freedom of speech across the globe.”
This latest clash between the Turkish government and X highlights the ongoing tension over freedom of expression in the country, as political discourse on social media becomes a battleground for control.
