Turkey’s violation of Media rights, Social media Relations and the Arab people
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Alaina
- . January 27, 2021
- . Update: January 31, 2021 4:06 am
Turkey has imposed sanctions on several social media sites. President Erdogan and his party announced last year that his party would prepare a bill to curb or completely shut down Turkish social media sites that are critical of the government. Erdogan’s government has arrested people who have written articles criticizing the government. Not only that, but the bill came after threatening messages were received by his daughter and son-in-law on social media sites such as Twitter.
Since the failed coup in 2016, the Turkish government has taken steps to suppress local media and social communication channels. Dozens of journalists have been arrested, some of whom have been sentenced for long charges. The government has closed more than a hundred media platforms. Hundreds of journalists face further intimidation and scrutiny, while more than 93 local journalists are being held in Turkish jails.
Erdogan’s government and his party have gradually increased their control over local and social media. It has silenced people on social media who report on government abuses against its citizens and the media. By the end of 2019, the Turkish government had closed more than 408,494 websites. Restrictions have been placed on social media, and groups have been set up to closely monitor what people are posting.
There are hundreds of Muslim Brotherhood members in Turkey with close ties to the Egyptian-based organization and a (Erdogan’s Justice and Development Party, a group backed by Turkey and influenced by Turkish politics. According to the video, the Turkish government and the Brotherhood have ordered the closure of its YouTube channel, which means that Erdogan is using the group to wage war on the Arab population in the country.
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There is pressure on Arabs living in Turkey such as Syrian refugees fleeing the war. This is omsaif she is from Syria and lives in Turkey. In a video posted on social media she said she would be shutting down her Youtube channel saying she was leaving youtube if you look at her hand movements she was doing a secret hand gesture, which is RABIA. The symbol was used by the Muslim Brotherhood during the uprising against Hosni Mubarak’s government, and was interpreted as “inciting oppression”. Saif was eventually forced to close all social media accounts by the Turkish government and the Muslim Brotherhood.
According to Reuters, more than 120 journalists are being held in Turkish prisons, and the situation for journalists in Turkey is deteriorating. Since the failed coup in 2016, Turkey has declared a state of emergency and suspended 150,000 judges, academics, journalists, military officials, civil servants and others. More than 77,000 people have been detained pending trial. Meanwhile, the Ankara government is taking further action against the Arab people in the country such as Syrians and other Arabs following the deterioration of relations between Qatar and the Gulf states. The government bans journalists from Arab countries covering Turkish affairs. Their social media accounts are being monitored, such as UmuSaif, who has since been shut down on YouTube and other social media sites.
