Broadcast ban on Enes Kara’s video

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A broadcast ban has been imposed on the video of Enes Kara, according to a statement released by the Ministry of Family and Social Services.

Shortly after he posted the video where he talked about the oppression that he faced at the dorm of a religious community in Turkey's eastern province of Elazığ and his anxiety about the future, Enes Kara, a sophomore at the Fırat University Medical Faculty, committed suicide.

In its statement announcing the broadcast ban, the Ministry of Family has indicated that "it took legal action with the aim of protecting children's and young people's mental health as the video shot by Enes Kara before his suicide was shared on social media and websites."

It has noted that "as per the legal regulation, the Ankara 8th Criminal Judgehip of Peace was requested to remove the posts containing the video and block access to them given that the video may harm children's mental health, lead to violence and suicide and incent suicide."

The request has been accepted by the criminal judgeship of peace, according to the Family Ministry's written statement, which has further noted that "sharing such content on platforms open to the access of children of all ages harms the healthy psychological development of children." The Ministry has "called on the entire public to act sensitively at this point."

What happened?

Enes Kara (20), a sophomore at the Fırat University Faculty of Medicine in Turkey's eastern province of Elazığ, talked about his anxiety about the future and the oppression that he faced at the dormitory of a religious community; Kara took his own life afterwards.

The video that he posted nearly a month before the incident was widely shared on social media after his passing. Leaving a suicide note as well, Kara said that though he was not a Muslim, the dorm where he was staying was forcing him to perform daily prayers, attend the classes of the religious community and do daily chores such as cooking and cleaning.

"I have lost my entire joy for life and enthusiasm in the situation that I have found myself in," he said in the video.

Enes Kara's father Mehmet Kara applied to the İskenderun 2nd Criminal Judgeship of Peace and said that in the news about Enes Kara, "his personality rights were attacked, the news and videos increased their grief, the related content violated privacy, he was subjected to social pressure and the publications were increasing the aggrievement of the family."

Citing these reasons, father Mehmet Kara said that the news reports were "insulting his personality rights" and requested censorship.

The İskenderun 2nd Criminal Judgeship of Peace has accepted the request and imposed an access block on news reports about Enes Kara.

Also, local journalist Faik Akgün, who reported on the suicide of Enes Kara, has been removed from office as the managing editor and the news report has been removed from the website. (TP/SD)