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08 Mar 2007
A Turkish court has ordered local ISPs to block access to YouTube after the publication of a video that mocked the nation's founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
The video displayed pictures of the founding father of modern Turkey with insults superimposed in English. The clip prompted a slew of responses attacking Greece and questioning the sexuality of its citizens.
YouTube has since removed the video and the ban on the website has reportedly been lifted. It is unclear when access to YouTube will be restored.
The video was reportedly uploaded by an ethnic Greek from Cyprus, over which Turkey and Greece have been battling for years.
Turkey invaded the territory in 1974 and created the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus that is recognised only by Turkey.
Turkey has an uneasy relation with freedom of speech. The nation's penal code makes it a crime to insult 'Turkishness'.
Courts routinely press charges against writers and journalists for mentioning the Armenian genocide of 1915-1917.
Turkey denies that a coordinated ethnic cleansing ever occurred and blames the deaths on collateral damage from World War 1 and natural circumstances.
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Do you agree?
Chip on Their shoulder
The only reason why Greeks have issues with the Turks is that they have the largest CHIPS on their shoulders. Get over it. We kicked you backside left right and center through out history. The world has had enough of your cry baby pampering attitude. Its time to give it a rest or you risk loosing all.
Posted by: John Cramwell 30 Oct 2007
Freedom of speech within reason
Freedom of Speech has its limits. Frankly, Turks do not have anything to be ashamed of or fear. It is a country which ruled other nations like Greece, Armenia, Bulgaria, Iraq, Serbie, etc. for 400 years. There are people from these countries who are still pissed off. Turkey limiting these sites which are offensive is nothoing abnormal. What if there was a video showing Mother Teresa in an offensive manner, or depicting Mother Mary in certain ways. There are limits to freedom of speech.
Posted by: John K 19 Sep 2007
Just speak up...dont matter what you know about!
Surely not against the freedom of speech. But the things in the clip were included a kind of hatred subjects against the founder of the nation, not a critisim at all as commented by previous individuals.If those fellows are not from a well-known side, wanna share an anecdote with you guys happened on one of the well known TV channels in North America. The reporter was asking a question to the people in NY streets..the question was ` who is our neighbour in the North? After having weird/dumb answers, an old lady finally came up with a right answer..Bingo..Canada. And, the reporter was so happy finding very knowledgable individual!..and continued to ask `what was the best similarity between these two countries you could think of?`the answer was PIZZA DOUGH`. If you still did not get it right I have nothing to say I am sorry!
Posted by: eric 10 May 2007
Insecure
Why is it that the Turks will not allow anyone to criticise them or their nation? It this insecurity they feel in themselves perhaps due the fact that they left nothing to the world except death snd destruction during the so called Ottoman Empire? Whenever they adverise their country they show GrecoRoman remains or churches.Just what is it that they are so proud of?
Posted by: John Smithers 19 Mar 2007
What was google thinking?
Obviously Turkey does not understand freedom of speech, what's Google's excuse? I don't know why there is not a public outcry about human rights violations in Turkey, there are quite a lot of them. I for one will start boycotting that country, as they did to YouTube.
Posted by: Mike 09 Mar 2007
What on hell is turkishness?
How can anyone define Turkishness? and how can anyone insult turkishness? If you discuss about Armenian Genocide you define part of turkishness! If you discuss about turkish history, no doubt filled with atrocities against christians, you simply define turkishness! Otherwise, you do not have any philosophical school, or scientific method discovered or nurished by turks. If you read the Amnesty International Report you understand what turkishness is. Or the last report issued by US State Department!
Posted by: Sixten 08 Mar 2007
The 1st Amendment is here, not Turkey
I'd like to know why youtube pulled down the video. As long as it wasn't a snuff film or something like that they are in the wrong for censoring like this. I'm not on either side of the debate in Turkey. I'm on the side for free speech. Did they infringe on the poster's rights just because the Turkish government complained about it?
Posted by: Henry 08 Mar 2007