INTERNET CENSORSHIP

The Telecommunications Communication Presidency banned access to LGBT social networking websites haydigayri.com, gabile.com and shemaleturk.com regarding "index crimes".

The site administrators complained about the decision which had not been communicated to them: "The decision is the outcome of a homophobic mentality".

Banned for "index crimes"

Upon the attempt to access the Gabile, Haydigayri and Shemaleturk websites the following announcement appears on the screen:

"If we have a look at the Law on Administrative Measures no. 5651: DECISION TO BAN ACCESS AND ITS FULFILLMENT in subheading article 8 - (1) it is said that a decision for banning access to an internet site is taken when sufficient reason of doubt is found on the subject of the crimes listed below regarding the medium of the internet and its contents. The articles are listed as follows: 1) Direction to suicide (article 84), 2) Sexual exploitation of children (103/1), 3) Facilitation of the use of drugs or stimulant drugs (190), 4) Supply of substances dangerous to health (194), 5) Obscenity (226), 6) Prostitution (227), 7) Provision of a place and possibility for gambling (228)".

Websites were not informed about the decision

In an announcement sent to the Turkish LGBT news protal Kaos GL the haydigayri.com site administrator declared:

"haydigayri .com does not contain pornography. It is a site for lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transvestites and transsexuals (LGBTT) to find friends, get news, use forums and chat. It is stated in the entrance page of the site that membership for people under 18 is forbidden. The ban came very suddenly, we have not been informed about it. We supposed that in such a situation we would be informed by email".

This is the statement of galibe.com:

"The Prime Ministry Telecommunications Association (BTK) confirmed the claim to ban the publication because of inappropriate contents and immoral actions without forwarding this decision (if the editors would thoroughly examine the contents of the site, it would turn out that the probability to find that kind of contents is very low). The decision was taken without informing us in any way as the result of a homophobic mentality. By taking a decision of administrative measures access was blocked to 2 of Turkey's major social networking sites".

"Lambdaistanbul and Kaos GL were previously trialed under accusations of immorality. Those ambitions did not succeed and the court rejected the trial, so now they try to ban social networking sites. These applications are extremely grave".

The sites have 225,000 members. The site managers argued: "We regretfully condemn these ignorant applications against our thoughts, ideas, lifestyles, our sexual identity and all our freedoms, which brings the public opinion on the brink of revolting". (BÇ/VK)