Facebook has become synonymous with social networking. For most people it’s a way to keep in touch with friends and check out their holiday snaps. But in Turkey, Facebook is the centre of a fiery human rights debate.
Recently the country’s constitutional court heard a case about whether the governing Islamic-based AK party was seeking to overthrow the secular state and introduce Islamic rule. The court found the AK party guilty but did not shut it down. The case has divided Turkish society, with both sides claiming to defend basic human rights.
Fighting for secularism
Melten Col is one of 1.5 million Facebook users in Turkey. She is a young woman living a secular life in an overwhelmingly Muslim country. Col fears that her right to a life without religious pressure is being threatened by the government. Her generation grew up during military rule in the 1980s, when there was zero tolerance for civic society. Facebook is now helping people to overcome that legacy, she says.
“I believe civil society is essential to democracy and it must be very active. People are now acting as individuals and creating such groups. It is good to know that you are not alone.”
Facebook debate in Turkey – Radio Netherlands Worldwide – The State We’re In.
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