Amendments to the Turkish Internet Broadcasts and Publication Law, and the Controversial Application of the New Provisions

摘要

As illustrated by the initial blocking orders issued against Twitter and YouTube, and the subsequent reluctance of the Directorate to remove these blocking orders despite the ruling of administrative courts, the concerns relating to the amended provisions of the Internet Broadcast Law are not unfounded. Although the legal basis for issuing such blocking orders has been established with the provisions of the amended Internet Broadcast Law, these two examples have shown that prosecutors, courts, and the Directorate in fact may issue orders that go beyond the scope of their established authority.