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The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), in a judgment of 8 October 2024, once again found a violation by the Turkish authorities of the right to freedom of expression on social media, as guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). In Özlü v. Türkiye the ECtHR found that some statements on Twitter (now X) posted by the applicant might be regarded as a sharp and exaggerated criticism of the organs of the state and its officials, but it found that they were not gratuitously offensive or insulting and did not incite violence or hatred. The ECtHR concluded...

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), in a judgment of 9 July 2024, found a violation by the Turkish authorities of the right to freedom of expression of political speech via social media as guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The case concerns the conviction of Mr Suphi Gümüş resulting in a prison sentence combined with a measure of suspension of the pronouncement of the judgment on account of content he posted on Facebook. Referring to its judgment in the case of Durukan and Birol v. Türkiye (IRIS 2023-10:1/22) the ECtHR found that...

On 2 August 2024, access to the social media platform Instagram was blocked on the basis of a decision taken by the Turkish Information and Communication Technologies Authority (ICTA) that same day. Although the ICTA did not provide a specific reason for the blocking decision, it was stated later by government officials that the decision to block the platform was taken on the grounds that the social media platform did not abide by Turkish laws, in particular those regarding “catalogue crimes” and, furthermore, that it did not comply with the values and sensitivities of Turkish society....

In a judgment of 20 February 2024 the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) once more found a violation by Türkiye of a citizen’s right to freedom of expression under Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). This time the reason was not because of criticising the government’s policy or the alleged support of or incitement to terrorism. The applicant in Dede v. Türkiye was dismissed from his job because he had criticised in a professional email the management style and practices of the chairman (H.K.) of the board of directors of Takasbank’s...

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in a judgment of 3 October 2023 found a violation by the Turkish authorities of the right to freedom of expression via social media as guaranteed by Article 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The case concerns the conviction and prison sentences of two persons, Mr Baran Durukan and Mrs İlknur Birol, on account of content they posted on Facebook and Twitter. Although the effects of their convictions were suspended, subject to probation periods of three and five years respectively, the ECtHR considered the convictions and their suspension,...