President Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday threatened Turkish media that if they spread content that harms the country’s core values, it could lead to further censorship in the region.
In a notice published in official Gazettethey said measures were needed to protect Turkey’s “national culture” and to prevent the development of its children “from being adversely affected as a result of exposure to harmful material on all written, oral and visual media”.
Erdogan did not specify what such content was, but said that it took legal action against “open or covert activities through the media aimed at undermining our national and moral values and disrupting our family and social structure”. Will go
Erdogan has been in power for nearly 20 years and has often criticized media material that is out of step with the conservative Islamic values backed by his AK party.
Turkey has also moved in recent years to increase surveillance of the media, with about 90 percent of major media now being state-owned or close to the government.
Its Western allies and critics have stated that Erdogan a . are using it 2016 failed coup Attempts to suppress dissent and erode social rights and tolerance.
The government denied this, saying the measures were necessary because of the seriousness of the threats facing Turkey and that freedom of religious expression has been restored to the once strongly secular republic.
RTUK The radio and television watchdog has extensive oversight of all online content, which it also has the power to remove.
It has fined TV stations for footage it says violates Turkish values, such as music videos it deems “erotic”, LGBTQ references or content insulting the president.
Tens of thousands have been prosecuted under the latter law, including Sedef Kabas, a well-known journalist who was arrested after posting a saying about Erdogan’s palace on his Twitter account and repeating it on an opposition television channel. Was jailed last week.