World · Middle East · 5 hrs ago
Rights groups urge social media platforms to resist Turkish blocking orders
Twenty-one human rights organizations have urged social media platforms, including X, to resist Turkish court orders blocking accounts.
The orders have affected journalists, independent media, academics, LGBTQ groups and other nongovernmental organizations.
Turkey’s government says the restrictions are needed for public safety.
The groups say the orders violate freedom of expression and want the government to stop issuing them.
They said X was ordered to block at least 1,270 accounts and raised particular concern about access to the independent news site T24.
X has said it was forced to follow Turkish orders but is challenging them in court, saying refusal could lead to severe sanctions, including restrictions on the whole platform.
The government and platforms had not immediately responded to the groups’ latest statement.
Twenty-one human rights organizations urged social media platforms, including X, to resist Turkish court orders blocking hundreds of accounts.
The groups also called on the Turkish government to stop issuing the orders, which they say violate freedom of expression.
The statement said Turkish authorities had ordered X to block access to at least 1,270 accounts.
The government has cited public safety concerns to justify the restrictions.
- Who
- Twenty-one human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Article 19, urged social media platforms to resist the orders.
- What
- The groups called on platforms to challenge or resist Turkish court orders blocking accounts and on the government to stop issuing them.
- When
- Monday, October 12, 2026.
- Where
- Turkey.
- Why
- The groups say the blocking orders violate freedom of expression; the government has cited public safety concerns.
Human rights groups
Turkish government
Reason for restrictions
Human rights groups
The groups say the orders violate freedom of expression.
Turkish government
The government has cited public safety concerns to justify the restrictions.
Action requested
Human rights groups
The groups called on authorities to stop issuing blocking orders and urged platforms to resist them.
Turkish government
The government has promised to bring anyone responsible for the investment fund scandal to justice.
X said it had been forced to comply with Turkish orders but was challenging them in court.
Turkish authorities ordered platforms to withhold accounts belonging to media outlets, journalists, academics, LGBTQ groups and other nongovernmental organizations.
Two journalists were arrested over the investment fund scandal and two others were placed under house arrest.
Twenty-one human rights organizations urged social media platforms to resist Turkish blocking orders.
- Organizations
- 21 human rights groups
- Accounts
- X was ordered to block access to at least 1,270 accounts
- Named groups
- Human Rights Watch; Article 19
- Targeted outlet
- T24, described by the groups as one of Türkiye’s biggest and oldest remaining independent news outlets
- Arrests
- Two journalists were arrested last week; two others were placed under house arrest
What people are saying
Social media platforms should take meaningful steps immediately to uphold their human rights responsibilities and avoid contributing to suppressing independent media and violating the right to freedom of expression.
The Turkish authorities should stop issuing blocking orders to restrict content and accounts on social media and websites in violation of the right to freedom of expression.
Not complying with these orders can trigger severe sanctions, including throttling of the entire platform in Türkiye.
X challenges these orders in court because we believe keeping the platform accessible in Türkiye is vital to supporting freedom of expression and access to information.
Sources
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