‘They Impose Access Blocks, We Continue Doing Journalism’

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It has been understood that the Ankara 3rd Penal Judgeship of Peace has imposed an access block on the entire content of bianet "by mistake." However, the access block in question is still in effect for 135 other websites and social media accounts indicated in the court order.

According to a report by the Engelli Web Platform, there is still an access block on over 245 thousand websites and around 150 thousand URLs.

CLICK - Court Imposes Access Block on bianet

CLICK - Court Decision to Block bianet Made 'by Mistake', 135 Addresses Still Banned

As for the other news websites blocked by court rulings up to this day, sendika.org ranks first with 62 times. That is, 62 access blocks have been imposed on the entire content of the website so far and, each time, sendika.org has continued by taking another domain name.

Etkin News Agency (ETHA) is one of the news websites indicated in the Ankara 3rd Penal Court of Peace order blocking access to bianet. ETHA has been closed for 12 times so far. As for Gazete Fersude, it is the first time it has encountered an access block on its entire content.

Accordingly, we have talked to the editors of these three news websites about the access blocks and the process of objection:

Sendika.org: 62 access blocks so far

sendika.org editor Vecihi Cüzdan: "In our 18-year publication life, we were blocked for the first time on July 25, 2015. In other words, just after the June 7 election, when the Justice and Development Party (AKP) lost power of ruling Turkey alone, we were subjected to the first access block. In the following period, we have been blocked for 62 times.

"They withdrew the last, I mean, the 62nd access block, but as we had already moved the whole platform to the next domain name, we now continue publishing news on sendika63.org.

"They have provided no reasons for any of the access blocks so far and in the last incident of access block, we were blocked without any notifications or justifications on December 5, 2019.

'No reasons are cited'

"The last access block was imposed after an interval of one and a half years. These futile access blocks cannot cause us to move away from our line of publication or take a step back from our current news.

"We continue overcoming this censorship by describing these blocks as a futile censorship and continue publishing news.

"Most access blocks are imposed as per the Article 8/A of the Law no. 5651. And no specific evaluation is made. They do not say 'We are blocking access to your website due to this or that news or content of yours'. It has always happened like that so far.

'We obtain no results from objections'

"We have taken 61 access blocks to court so far. We have made our objections. Our one appeal is now at the Constitutional Court and in the last phase. If it is not concluded, we will take it to the ECtHR.

"There is something quite clear: The AKP government is fighting against the truth. And we say that they will be defeated in this fight. You cannot fight against the truth."

Fersude: 'Court ruling not notified to us'

One of the founders of Gazete Fersude Hayri Tunç: "The ruling dated July 16 is the first access block imposed on us. But, access blocks were previously imposed on our individual news articles. Our six or seven articles have been blocked so far, but it is the first time an access block has been imposed on the entire content of our website.

"This ruling has not been notified to us. But, there were times when the access blocks imposed on our news were notified to us. In two of them, we were informed by email. 'You either remove this article or an access block will be imposed', they said. But, other articles were blocked without any notifications. Our lawyers are objecting to the latest ruling.

'We have entered a new period'

"The increasing number of access blocks indicates that we have entered a new period. I think that more censorship and access blocks will come in next periods. In a country where there is so much pressure and censorship, a way will, of course, be found, no one will give in. They will block it and we, as journalists, will develop new ways."

ETHA: Objections remain inconclusive

Etkin News Agency (ETHA) Editor İsminaz Temel: "The first access block was imposed on July 24, 2015, just after Suruç Massacre. Then, the blocks became frequent during the State of Emergency. We were closed at 1- or 2-month intervals. And it shows how frequent censorship and blocks got.

"The rulings are not notified to us. They sometimes inform us only by email. Or when an access block is imposed on us, our servers inform us. That is all.

"Objections are made, but the legal system is functioning in Turkey in such a way that, in the end, it turns into a fait accompli. We are being silenced, we are being closed. Therefore, objections remain inconclusive.

'Police raided us as well'

"We have been online since 2010. The police previously conducted raids. Some of our friends were detained. The website has been closed for many times. But, ETHA has continued publishing news since 2010 till today.

"Pressure and censorship do not only target the ETHA, bianet has its share in the last craze, albeit temporarily. It shows the intention. It shows the intention of the pressure and censorship targeting the press. Today, the press means laying claim to the truth.

"Alternative media organizations and press laborers have not abandoned their words or works under any circumstances. They have paid a price, but they have not given up. It will also be the case from now on." (HA/SD)