Social media platform X has suspended multiple accounts linked to opposition figures in Turkey, according to a report by news outlet Politico.
The move coincides with ongoing protests sparked by the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, a prominent member of the opposition CHP social democrat party, on corruption charges.
Under Turkish law, the government is permitted to request such account suspensions. Politico highlights that this is not an isolated incident, stating, “X has previously limited content access in the country.” The outlet cites X’s transparency reports, noting that the platform complied with approximately 86 percent of government content removal requests in Turkey during the second half of 2024, up from 68 percent in the first half. Additionally, Politico points out that “Turkish authorities submit around six times more takedown requests per capita” compared to nations in the European Union.
Elon Musk, X’s owner, has justified the platform’s actions, arguing that restricting certain accounts is preferable to facing a complete shutdown of the service in the country.