Turkey blocks access to pro-Kurdish news agencies amid Syria offensive

The Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) has blocked access to the websites and social media accounts of two pro-Kurdish news outlets, Mezopotamya Agency (MA) and JinNews.

The BTK presidency issued the restriction orders on Jan 21, citing the protection of national security and public order. The censorship covers the main website of MA and its X accounts in Turkish, Kurdish, and English. JinNews faced similar restrictions on its website and social media platforms.

Following the block, MA began publishing news through a new domain, as usually done by news outlets subject to censorship. The access ban also targeted the X account of the Etkin News Agency (ETHA) and the personal accounts of journalists Amed Dicle and Doğan Cihan.

The decision comes during a military offensive by Syrian transitional government forces against the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in northern Syria. As the SDF lost significant territory, large-scale protests occurred in Turkey's Kurdish-populated border towns.

The Dicle Fırat Journalists Association (DFG) criticized the move, describing the restrictions as an attack on press freedom.

"This is an effort to hide the truth," the DFG said in a statement. "These bans are attacks directed at the freedom of the press."

The association noted that the social media accounts of both agencies were blocked for the third time since the beginning of the Syrian interim government forces' offensive.

"We view the censorship against the press as an effort to hide the truth. These bans are attacks on press freedom," said DFG. (HA/VK)