Turkey Restricts Instagram, Citing Alleged Censorship of Hamas Leader Tribute
Turkey has blocked access to Instagram, according to the country’s Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK), which made the announcement on Friday. The regulator did not provide an explanation or specify how long the ban would last, leaving many users unable to access the platform’s mobile app.
This move follows criticism from Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish presidency’s communications director, who condemned Instagram for reportedly blocking posts expressing condolences for the death of Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent leader of the Palestinian group Hamas. Altun labeled Instagram’s actions as “censorship, pure and simple” on X (formerly Twitter), and noted that the platform did not cite any policy violations for its decision.
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Meta Platforms Inc., Instagram’s parent company, has not yet responded to the ban or Altun’s comments.
The BTK published the decision on its website on August 2nd, but further details regarding the reasoning or the duration of the ban remain unclear.
