Turkey to block 'insulting' Web sites

[Hum]

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- A parliamentary commission approved a proposal Thursday allowing Turkey to block Web sites that are deemed insulting to the founder of modern Turkey, weeks after a Turkish court temporarily barred access to YouTube.

Parliament plans to vote on the proposal, though a date was not announced. The proposal indicates the discomfort that many Turks feel about Western-style freedom of expression, even though Turkey has been implementing widespread reforms in its bid to join the European Union.

On Thursday, lawmakers in the commission also debated whether the proposal should be widened to allow the Turkish Telecommunications Board to block access to any sites that question the principles of the Turkish secular system or the unity of the Turkish state -- a reference to Web sites with information on Kurdish rebels in Turkey.

It is illegal in Turkey to talk of breaking up the state or to insult Ataturk, the revered founder of modern Turkey whose image graces every denomination of currency and whose portrait hangs in nearly all government offices.

Ataturk is held to be responsible for creating a secular republic from the crumbling, Islamic Ottoman Empire.

Several prominent Turkish journalists and writers, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, have been tried for allegedly insulting Ataturk or for the crime of insulting "Turkishness."

European calls for free speech have angered some nationalist Turks, who view the recommendations as interference in their internal affairs.

source

[Ferret]

No government should have control of what information you access !

I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that the UK government don't start doing this (or taxing it) !

[+Mystic MVC]

Hmm, really not a good idea, but I guess China has had stuff like this in place for a while now. I guess more and more governments really like the idea, "let them see only what you want them to see".

[tiagosilva29]

Harhar. Another thing that blocks Turkey entry into the EU is their denial of the armenian genocide.

[User6060]

I bet the are going to that 95% of the internet 'offends' them. If only ignorance would be declared a disease, then we wouldn't have the intentional restriction of information and knowledge.

[blackozan]

Somethings must be spoken, not written. Most of the countries, (especially survived in one of the two World War with or founded with a great leader from a very bad situtation) block insultments made to their leader. But this does not need any kind of "law" or a paper. Just the will of the masses and their respectness to their country will cause to that type of "limitation". I mean, if you insult any important leader of Greece, USA, UK, France in their countries, you will probably get banned, get cencored might subject to an investigation etc... All those countries have portraits of their leaders in their coins or statues and pictures and their flags in their governmental organizations or buildings.

So, what Turkey lacks is their self respect and self confidence about their National Revolution. This is why the came up with such pointless solutions about freedom.

[atabrk]

As a Turk I must say, an Anti-Atat?rk government's this kind of desicion is thought provoking for me. For they believe "Muslim religios laws" and nothing else, and they are supported by (guess which country's government!!!), this action makes me think that this is just a beginning, and I'm very very sorry.

[Toology]

I mean, if you insult any important leader of Greece, USA, UK, France in their countries, you will probably get banned, get cencored might subject to an investigation etc...

You might receive public scorn and ridicule but government sponsored censorship in those countries? I highly doubt it. Proof of that are the political caricatures and outright personal attacks that make their way onto the internet, radio, television and print. You won't take any heat for taking a dig at our current president. Granted, he is not seen as the founder of the country but nevertheless he is the prominent figure. Moreover, I can't tell you how many satirical drawings I've seen in history books of America's founding fathers that were printed in the newspapers of the day. That was 200+ years ago. Some Americans are out of touch with their country's history to take anything of this sort to heart, others are aware and simply don't care.

I agree with you that sometimes it is the role of society to establish the limitations and not the law. And in those cases it is still the duty of the government to protect the individual against the infringement of their rights by society's pressure.

[backdrifter]

the funny thing is some nationalist found out about the uncyclopedia few days ago, and he was outraged. It took an hour to tell him about how thay mock other countries(and everything else) as well.

My dissapointment is how Ataturk himself wasn't as oppresive as the current bureucracy. I can't explain people how being sarcastic about him is the next step of understanding and absorbing his thoughts. (They follow the same route about islam, but I don't care about it that much) I'm sure there's a bunch of people in my country to agree with me but I guess we're a minority.

[Hum]

Turkey's government/leaders must be very insecure. Better to just ignore the 'insults'. ;)

[Quillz]

How does Turkey expect to ever be a part of the EU if they insist on heavy censorship? Granted, I do not think it's right to blatantly insult any nation's leaders, but the right to free speech is a fundamental value of the EU, no doubt.

[Miuku.]

How does Turkey expect to ever be a part of the EU if they insist on heavy censorship?

There are so many people, and politicians, in EU that are against any involvement with Turkey at present that they'll never get in - the negociations have been frozen and most likely Russia will be part of EU before Turkey ;-)

[External HDD Veteran]

this is just something people try to use when insulting Turkey. There is no real action taken about this and it is really unnecessary to discuss speculations.

This is getting really ugly.

[blackozan]

How does Turkey expect to ever be a part of the EU if they insist on heavy censorship? Granted, I do not think it's right to blatantly insult any nation's leaders, but the right to free speech is a fundamental value of the EU, no doubt.

"Free speech" is something usually mentioned like "Europeen". But in fact, if we really want talk about Free speech, we should ask ourselves about talking really "free".

Can we discuss that "Hitler was a great man and that the genocide made by Nazi's was a fictious propaganda of Allied Forces" in any country of EU, esp. in Germany? We even cannot discuss that and someone speaking this way might end up in jail in some countries.

And, again about being European -nowadays, especially against Turkey, France is taking the lead- their invade of Algeria and method they use (some people say "genocide" for that) are seen like they never happened. (An article about French War Crimes)

Such Colonial countries like France, UK, Belgium are now taking on "Humanity" symbols --and with almost no self-criticism. (should've forgotten the second Italo-Abyssinian War)

I wonder what Merkel was thinking about her gift, an antique mug to Chirac in the 50th anniversary of the EU's founding Treaty of Rome. Was it like "Here we are. European countries. Thanks to our colonial history. By crushing other poor nations, we rise, and shine like stars of the new centuries"

Free speech, Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights should not be owned by these countries. They should at least face deeply with their history before promoting something they do not really have.

@Toology yes, you are right. And I didn't mean gov. sponsored cencorship, I was talking about some-kind of cencorship made by media itself, to get rid of public reaction.

Edited April 8, 2007 by blackozan

[I am Reid]

I mean, if you insult any important leader of Greece, USA, UK, France in their countries, you will probably get banned, get cencored might subject to an investigation etc...

You couldnt be anymore wrong

[Quillz]

Can we discuss that "Hitler was a great man and that the genocide made by Nazi's was a fictious propaganda of Allied Forces" in any country of EU, esp. in Germany? We even cannot discuss that and someone speaking this way might end up in jail in some countries.

You are free to believe this if you want, but being allowed to practice it in public is an entirely different manner. Generally speaking, you can believe whatever you want, but your beliefs cannot be used to condone an illegal act. It is my understanding that in Germany, anything that promotes Nazism is strictly illegal, which include public decree of your support of the Nazi party.

[revvo]

Hmm, really not a good idea, but I guess China has had stuff like this in place for a while now. I guess more and more governments really like the idea, "let them see only what you want them to see".

China's communist while Turkey claims that it's ready to join the European Union and that it's a country that allows freedom of speech and whatnot.

[blackozan]

You couldnt be anymore wrong

"yes, you are right. And I didn't mean gov. sponsored cencorship, I was talking about some-kind of cencorship made by media itself, to get rid of public reaction."

Edited April 8, 2007 by blackozan

[snyper]

Turkey likes to continue to make an idiot of themselves in Public again.

[blackozan]

You are free to believe this if you want, but being allowed to practice it in public is an entirely different manner. Generally speaking, you can believe whatever you want, but your beliefs cannot be used to condone an illegal act. It is my understanding that in Germany, anything that promotes Nazism is strictly illegal, which include public decree of your support of the Nazi party.

Yes. Everybody is free to believe anything in any country. But like this example, governments can limit and condemn people when they want. If it was really about freedom or free speech, every speech and idea should've been completely legal.

Edited April 8, 2007 by blackozan