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Court in Turkey moves to suspend ban on Twitter | |
(about 5 hours later) | |
A court in Turkey has ordered the suspension of a controversial ban on the social media site Twitter but it could be weeks before it takes effect. | |
Turkish users of Twitter expected to regain access shortly after the ruling but it remained blocked. | |
The country's telecommunication authority (TIB) has 30 days to decide whether to lift the ban. | |
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to "wipe out Twitter" after users spread allegations of corruption. | Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan vowed to "wipe out Twitter" after users spread allegations of corruption. |
Twitter itself has filed a challenge to the access ban. | |
It said it had acted on two out of three Turkish legal orders but had concern about the third order as it was a request us to suspend an account accusing a former minister of corruption. | |
"This order causes us concern," its general counsel, Vijaya Gadde, said in a statement. "Political speech is among the most important speech, especially when it concerns possible government corruption." | |
At a rally ahead of important local elections on Sunday, Mr Erdogan was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: "I don't understand how people of good sense could defend this Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. There are all kinds of lies there." | At a rally ahead of important local elections on Sunday, Mr Erdogan was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying: "I don't understand how people of good sense could defend this Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. There are all kinds of lies there." |
Ban 'illegal' | Ban 'illegal' |
A ban was imposed on Friday on the grounds that Twitter had failed to remove the allegations of corruption involving senior officials. | A ban was imposed on Friday on the grounds that Twitter had failed to remove the allegations of corruption involving senior officials. |
A number of complaints were filed to courts, arguing the ban was illegal and unconstitutional. | A number of complaints were filed to courts, arguing the ban was illegal and unconstitutional. |
The administrative court in Ankara issued a temporary injunction on Wednesday ordering the TIB to restore access to Twitter until it could deliver its full verdict on the ban. | |
Turkish media reports suggested the ban would be suspended soon afterwards but a source in Mr Erdogan's office told Reuters news agency the TIB had 30 days to implement or appeal against the court ruling. | |
Thirty days is a standard period in such cases. | |
"The millions of people in Turkey who turn to Twitter to make their voices heard are being kept from doing just that," Ms Gadde said. | |
"There are no legal grounds for the blocking of our service in Turkey," she added. | |
Users have found many ways of circumventing the prohibition, which has been widely criticised and ridiculed. | |
As of Wednesday afternoon, the top trending term in Turkey was a political slogan attacking Mr Erdogan's ruling Justice and Development Party. Just behind it was a pro-Erdogan term. |
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