Abdullah Gul tweets his disapproval and says officials will look at ways of reopening access
Associated Press in Ankara
Turkey’s president, Abdullah Gul, has used Twitter to condemn the country’s ban on YouTube and some Google pages. Photograph: Ates Tumer/EPA
The Turkish president has used his Twitter account to condemn the country’s ban on YouTube and some Google services.
In separate tweets, Abdullah Gul said he did not approve of the bans and had instructed officials to examine legal ways of reopening access.
Courts have blocked access to YouTube since 2008 after Greek users posted videos alleging that Ataturk was homosexual.
Last week Turkey extended the ban to some Google pages using the same internet protocol addresses as YouTube.
In January the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe urged Turkey to abolish or reform a law allowing it to block around 3,700 Internet sites.
Websites can be blocked under article 5651 of the Turkish penal code for a range of offences including insulting Ataturk, child pornography and encouraging suicide.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jun/11/abdullah-gul-twitter-turkey-youtube-ban, 11 June 2010