X restricts access to activist accounts in Turkey amid İmamoğlu protests

X has blocked access to several accounts in Turkey following requests from authorities amid ongoing protests over the detention of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.

The restricted accounts belong to leftist and student groups that have actively participated in demonstrations since the mayor was taken into custody on Mar 19. 

Users in Turkey attempting to view these accounts receive a notice stating the account is “withheld in Turkey in response to a legal demand.” The accounts remain accessible from outside the country. Some of the groups have responded by creating new accounts to continue sharing content. Among the affected accounts are Artvin Halkevi, Doğanın Çocukları, Özgürlükçü Gençlik, Kampüs Cadıları, EHP Gençliği, Gençlik Komiteleri, Özgür Üniversite Hareketi, Öğrenci İnisiyatifi, KÖZ Gazetesi, and ODTÜ Savunulmalıdır.

This type of restriction has been commonly used in Turkey, where major social media platforms typically comply with court orders. Under the country’s Internet Law No. 5651, amended in 2020, major social media platforms are required to respond to legal requests within a designated time frame, appoint legal representatives in Turkey, and store Turkish user data on local servers.

In a related move, authorities also imposed temporary restrictions on social media and messaging platforms. The restrictions, which began as soon as İmamoğlu was taken into custody, lasted about 42 hours. Also, dozens of people have been taken into custody due to their posts about the events concerning the mayor's detention.

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