US 'regrets' Turkey's censorship of Voice of America, Deutsche Welle

Websites of the two outlets were banned last week after a request by Turkey's media authority.

İstanbul

US 'regrets' Turkey's censorship of Voice of America, Deutsche Welle

Photo: AA/File

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The spokesperson of the US State Department has criticized Turkey for blocking access to the websites of the public broadcasters of his country and Germany, Voice of America and Deutsche Welle.

"We regret the Turkish Radio and Television Supreme Council's decision to block access to the websites of VOA Türkçe and Deutsche Welle, further expanding government control over freedom of expression and media freedom in Turkey. Free press is essential to a robust democracy," Ned Price tweeted late yesterday (July 6).

A court in Ankara blocked access to the two websites on June 30, following a request by the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK). The RTÜK decision was due to the two outlets' failure to apply to the council for a license, as required by a regulation authorizing it for online broadcasting.

The two organizations refused to apply for a license, citing freedom of expression concerns.

The authorities blocked the domains dw.com and amerikaninsesi.com, the web address of the VOA's Turkish service. Both Turkish and English editions of DW are banned, whereas VOA's English edition is accessible in Turkey at voiceofamerica.com.

RTÜK's authority to inspect online broadcasts

According to the "Regulation on Radio, Television and On_Demand Online Broadcasts" published on the Official Gazette on August 1, 2019, Internet platforms such as Netflix have been obliged to get a license from the RTÜK.

These websites also have to establish a company and pay taxes in Turkey so that they can continue operating in the country. The objective of the new legal regulation was explained as follows in the Official Gazette:

"The objective of this regulation is to establish procedures and principles as to the online broadcast and transmission of radio, television and voluntary broadcasting services; the broadcasting licences to be granted to media service providers and the authority of broadcast transmission to be given to platform operators; and the inspection of the related broadcasts."

It has also been indicated in the Gazette that the regulation in question will apply to "the private media service providing institutions that engage in online radio, television and voluntary broadcasts and the operators of these platforms that provide these broadcasting services."

(SD/VK)

RTÜK US Department of State freedom of the press voice of america Radio and Television Supreme Council vk ned price voa censorship RTUK access block DW deutshce welle