By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
    World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
    March 22, 2023
    IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
    IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
    March 22, 2023
    International powerhouse brands turn to inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 as launchpad to scale operations in the world’s next biggest digital economy
    International powerhouse brands turn to inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 as launchpad to scale operations in the world’s next biggest digital economy  
    March 22, 2023
    Egypt starts trial operation of ‘Iqat’ gold mine: Minister of Petroleum 
    Egypt starts trial operation of ‘Iqat’ gold mine: Minister of Petroleum 
    March 22, 2023
    Egypt aims to attract 30 million tourists in 2028: Tourism Minister
    Egypt aims to attract 30 million tourists in 2028: Tourism Minister
    March 22, 2023
  • Politics
    PoliticsShow More
    Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
    Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
    March 22, 2023
    Turkish President  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egypt President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi met in Doha
    Opinion| Türkiye and Egypt: For better times with many opportunities
    March 22, 2023
    Drought caused 43,000 deaths in Somalia in 2022: UN
    Drought caused 43,000 deaths in Somalia in 2022: UN 
    March 22, 2023
    Opinion| The Chinese dragon occupies America's place in the Middle East
    Opinion| The Chinese dragon occupies America’s place in the Middle East
    March 22, 2023
    Al Azhar University partners with Google to empower students with latest learning solutions
    Al Azhar University partners with Google to empower students with latest learning solutions
    March 22, 2023
  • Interviews
    InterviewsShow More
    Government should help Egyptian arts revive its pioneering role: Omar Abdel Aziz
    Government should help Egyptian arts revive its pioneering role: Omar Abdel Aziz
    March 15, 2023
    Interconnected healthcare systems in Africa require political will from North African leaders: Amref official
    Interconnected healthcare systems in Africa require political will from North African leaders: Amref official
    March 12, 2023
    EGX ready for government’s IPOs programme: Chairperson
    EGX ready for government’s IPOs programme: Chairperson
    February 15, 2023
    British International Investment invests $4.5bn in 700 businesses across Africa: Sherine Shohdy
    February 15, 2023
    Valeo has invested around €0.5bn in Egypt over the past 10 years: CEO
    Valeo has invested around €0.5bn in Egypt over the past 10 years: CEO
    December 27, 2022
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Reading: Furious reaction, political split after Turkey bans Twitter
Share
Notification
Latest News
World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
Business
Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
Politics Egypt
IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
Business
Turkish President  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egypt President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi met in Doha
Opinion| Türkiye and Egypt: For better times with many opportunities
Politics Opinion
International powerhouse brands turn to inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 as launchpad to scale operations in the world’s next biggest digital economy
International powerhouse brands turn to inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 as launchpad to scale operations in the world’s next biggest digital economy  
Business Technology
Aa
Aa
DailynewsegyptDailynewsegypt
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • Advertise
© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.
Dailynewsegypt > Blog > Business > Furious reaction, political split after Turkey bans Twitter
Business

Furious reaction, political split after Turkey bans Twitter

Daily News Egypt
Last updated: 2014/03/22 at 3:46 PM
By Daily News Egypt 6 Min Read
Share
A Turkish woman looks at her smartphone in the Eminonu district of Istanbul, with the Suleymaniye mosque in the background, on March 21, 2014 (AFP, Ozan Kose)
SHARE
A Turkish woman looks at her smartphone in the Eminonu district of Istanbul, with the Suleymaniye mosque in the background, on March 21, 2014  (AFP, Ozan Kose)
A Turkish woman looks at her smartphone in the Eminonu district of Istanbul, with the Suleymaniye mosque in the background, on March 21, 2014
(AFP, Ozan Kose)

Reuters – Turkey’s ban on Twitter ahead of bitterly contested elections brought a furious reaction at home and abroad on Friday, with users of the social networking service denouncing the move as a “digital coup” and the president expressing his disapproval.

A court blocked access to Twitter after Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s defiant vow, on the campaign trail on Thursday ahead of 30 March local elections, to “wipe out” the social media service, whatever the international community had to say about it.

Industry Minister Fikri Isik said talks with Twitter were taking place and the ban would be lifted if the San Francisco-based firm appointed a representative in Turkey and agreed to block specific content when requested by Turkish courts.

“We stand with our users in Turkey who rely on Twitter as a vital communications platform. We hope to have full access returned soon,” the company said in a tweet.

A company spokesman declined to say whether it would appoint someone in Turkey but said it was moving forward in talks with the government.

Tech-savvy Turks – President Abdullah Gul apparently among them – quickly found ways to circumvent the ban, with the hashtag #TwitterisblockedinTurkey among the top trending globally on Friday.

“One cannot approve of the complete closure of social media platforms,” Gul tweeted, voicing his hope that the ban would be short-lived and setting himself publicly at odds with the prime minister.

Erdogan, who has dominated Turkish politics for 11 years, is battling a corruption scandal that has been fed by social media awash with alleged evidence of government wrongdoing. He did not mention the Twitter ban at two campaign rallies on Friday.

Turkey’s main opposition party said it would challenge the ban and file a criminal complaint against Erdogan on the grounds of violating personal freedoms. The country’s bar association filed a separate court challenge.

Twitter users called the move a “digital coup”, some comparing Turkey to Iran and North Korea, where social media platforms are tightly controlled. There were also calls for protests.

“Waking up to no Twitter in Turkey feels like waking up to a coup. The modern equivalent of occupying the radio stations,” US author and journalist Andrew Finkel, who has reported from Turkey for more than 20 years, said on his Twitter account.

Erdogan’s ruling AK Party has already tightened Internet controls, handed government more influence over the courts and reassigned thousands of police and hundreds of prosecutors and judges as it fights the corruption scandal, which the prime minister has cast as a plot by political enemies to oust him.

Gul, seen as a more conciliatory figure than Erdogan, has been hesitant to openly criticise the prime minister in the run-up to the election, despite the scandal and the latter’s increasing claims of a conspiracy against his government.

The two co-founded the Islamist-rooted AK Party and Gul is seen as a potential successor to Erdogan should the latter run for the presidency in an August vote. His critics say his own ambitions have made him too cautious about challenging Erdogan, by far the most powerful figure in the ruling party.

Telecoms watchdog BTK said Twitter had been blocked by the courts after complaints were made by citizens that it was breaching privacy. It said the social media service had ignored previous requests to remove content.

“Because there was no other choice, access to Twitter was blocked in line with court decisions to avoid the possible future victimisation of citizens,” it said.

 

European Union Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele said the move raised grave concerns and “cast doubt on Turkey’s stated commitment to European values and standards”. Turkey has been seeking membership of the EU for decades.

Germany, home to the largest Turkish diaspora in Europe, said the move did not fit with its view of freedom of expression, while the British Foreign Office said social media had a “vital role to play in a modern democracy”.

Turkey’s financial markets were unsettled, with the lira weakening to 2.24 against the dollar, shares underperforming emerging markets peers and the benchmark 10-year bond rising to 11.24% from 11.12%.

Twitter published a tweet to Turkish users instructing them on how to continue tweeting via SMS text message.

Erdogan was scathing about the service on Thursday. “We will wipe out all of these,” he said. “The international community can say this, can say that. I don’t care at all. Everyone will see how powerful the Republic of Turkey is.”

Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babacan said he expected the block to be temporary while Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek told state broadcaster TRT Haber the closure “does not derive from a prohibitive mentality” and was nothing other than the application of a court ruling.

You Might Also Like

World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt

IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt

Opinion| Türkiye and Egypt: For better times with many opportunities

International powerhouse brands turn to inaugural GITEX Africa 2023 as launchpad to scale operations in the world’s next biggest digital economy  

Egypt starts trial operation of ‘Iqat’ gold mine: Minister of Petroleum 

TAGGED: ban, Daily News, Daily News Egypt, DNE, Erdogan, EU, human rights, Turkey, Twitter
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Previous Article BG Group targets job cuts to rein in costs
Next Article Air Berlin to be delisted; Etihad to lift stake-report
2 Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Ad image

Stay Connected

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Youtube Subscribe

Latest News

World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
World Bank agrees $7bn new partnership framework with Egypt
Business
Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
Egypt’s foreign minister phones Algerian counterpart over boosting ties
Politics Egypt
IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
IFC-supported partnership launched to help increase clean water supply in Egypt
Business
Turkish President  Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egypt President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi met in Doha
Opinion| Türkiye and Egypt: For better times with many opportunities
Politics Opinion
//
Egypt’s only independent daily newspaper in English. Discuss the country’s latest with the paper’s reporters, editors, and other readers.

Quick Link

  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Interviews
  • Culture
  • Opinion
  • Sports
  • Lifestyle

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

© 2023 DNE News. All Rights Reserved.

Join Us!

Subscribe to our newsletter and never miss our latest news, podcasts etc..

Zero spam, Unsubscribe at any time.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?