In a bold defiance of censorship, social media platform 𝕏 has rejected a sweeping order from Turkey’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) to block more than 700 accounts within the country. The directive, backed by Turkish court orders, aimed to silence a range of voices amid escalating tensions, but 𝕏 has branded the move “unlawful” and a direct assault on free expression.
The BTK’s demand comes as Turkey grapples with nationwide protests and growing political unrest, sparked in part by the recent arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on corruption charges—an action critics link to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s efforts to neutralize rivals. 𝕏 argued that enforcing the block would choke off millions of Turkish users’ access to critical news and political discourse at a pivotal moment. “Providing a platform committed to defending everyone’s right to free speech is paramount,” the company stated, vowing to challenge the order legally.