Turkish Parliament’s filter denies access to church’s website due to ‘pornographic’ content

Zeynep GÜRCANLI ANKARA

Parliament’s Internet filter system has blocked the website of a Protestant church in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır due to pornographic content, according to the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Bursa deputy Aykan Erdemir.

Erdemir tried to reach the website “diyarbakirkilisesi.com” while researching at Parliament, but faced a warning saying that access to the page was limited due to “pornography.”

He then submitted a parliamentary question on the issue, asking why Parliament had denied access to the website despite there being no general block on the website for other users in the country.

No ruling on the website has been issued by Turkey’s Telecommunication Directorate.

Parliament Speaker Cemil Çiçek is expected to respond to Erdemir’s official question. Access to some of the websites was opened later on May 29 after the submission of the parliamentary question.

The CHP deputy said the only “obscene” factor was Parliament’s implementation of the block.

“It not only restricts lawmakers’ freedom of communication, but also the religious freedom of minorities,” he told daily Hürriyet. “Parliament’s administration violates two fundamental rights and freedoms, freedom of communication and religious freedom, with one stone.”