About 2,000 people gathered in the popular Taksim Square on Istanbul's European side to protest against restrictions on the internet on Saturday (17 July). Non-governmental organizations calling for freedom of the internet, professional organizations, representatives of internet sites and their readers, employees of private enterprises who are negatively affected by internet censorship and human rights activists were among the demonstrators.
The demonstration went along the centrally located Istiklal Avenue. The participants shouted slogans like "raise, raise, raise your voice on the street", "There is no escape on your own - either all together or none". Banners read "Don't click away our freedom" or "no censorship for political sites".
Kaynak: We reject the unlawful and arbitrary mindset
The Initiative for a Censorship-free Internet issued a statement at the Galatasaray Square on Istiklal Avenue before the demonstration headed to Taksim square. The Initiative announced that they got organized via the internet because they think that the citizens' freedom of expression and right to be informed could not be restricted. The Initiative emphasized that they are going to seek a solution on the street.
The statement was read out by Deniz Kaynak. He said, "We can no longer accept the mindset of unlawful and arbitrary applications in order to control the internet". Kaynak also referred to Law No. 5651 on the Regulation of Publications on the Internet and Suppression of Crimes Committed by means of Such Publication.
"The youngest and most dynamic action in recent time..."
The organizers of the protest action and its supporters appreciated the attention given to the demonstration.
bianet talked to Bülent Aydın from the Equality and Democracy Party (EDP), Alper Çelikel, General Manager of the Social Democracy Foundation (SODEV), Serdar Kuzuloğlu from Radikal newspaper, Mustafa Akgül, President of the Internet Technology Association (INETD), Yaman Akdeniz from Bilgi University and Erhan Karakay, Head of the Electric Engineers Chamber (EMO) Istanbul Branch. They all agreed in their appreciation for the number of participants.
The protest action was furthermore supported by Ertuğrul Kürkçü, coordinator of the bianet project. Aydın from the EDP emphasized that Law No. 5651 is very problematic and that this demonstration was just the beginning of the protest: "We will always be against internet censorship just as we are supporting this first protest action".
Aydin said that many young people joint the demonstration because they think that their only place to be free has been taken over. "They want their voices to be heard on the streets since they cannot be heard at the internet platforms. This is the youngest and most dynamic protest action in recent times".
Akgül: This is a positive signal, we will continue our protest
Akgül from INEDT pointed out that the large participation in the demonstration was a positive signal and that they were going to continue their struggle for internet freedom.
Akdeniz from Bilgi University evaluated the protest as follows: "I think we made our voices heard. Internet users are carrying their messages to the street now". He said that one of the most import aspects was to make the government in Ankara to hear the people's voice. Kuzuloğlu from the Radikal newspaper said that the action sparked hopes, "I think we will see more of this".
Karakay indicated that EMO is clearly against the widespread internet censorship and that EMO members joined the protest march. "The problem stems from the thinking of the political authorities", he stated.
Önen: They ban the websites that earn us a living
Internet specialist Aykut Önen is affected by the censorship imposed on Google and its effects on the subordinated services. He works for a web design company called Monofact and makes frequent use of Google Analytics. "They ban the websites that earn us a living", he criticized". (EÖ/VK)
