The Turkish Broadcasting Authority (RTÜK) has apparently blocked access to Deutsche Welle in Turkey. RTÜK board member İlhan Taşcı wrote on Twitter: “Access to Deutsche Welle’s Turkish-language service, DW Turkce, and Voice of America, which have not applied for permits, has been blocked by the Ankara Criminal Court at the request of the RTÜK board.” On Thursday evening there were problems accessing Deutsche Welle’s website in Turkey.
The German foreign broadcaster and other foreign media have been threatened with a blocking of their online programs in Turkey since February. The Turkish Broadcasting Authority had officially asked broadcasters to apply for a license for on-demand offerings. Deutsche Welle then announced that it would take legal action against it.
When asking for a license application, Turkey relies on a media law that came into force in 2020, with which the Islamic-conservative AKP government introduced extensive control of Internet platforms that distribute films, videos or radio content. Turkish media are largely under the direct or indirect control of the conservative Islamic government, and Internet content is also subject to strict regulation.
Representatives close to the government have a majority in the RTÜK body. Board member Tasci, however, belongs to the largest Turkish opposition party, CHP. He criticized the regulator’s move as an attack on press freedom. He told the BBC that Turkey had crossed a new threshold with this decision.