Social Media Access Curtailed in Turkey After CHP Calls for Rallies Following Police Blockade of Istanbul Headquarters
Authorities restricted major platforms, including X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and WhatsApp, as the main opposition Republican People’s Party urged supporters to rally after police sealed its Istanbul offices.
Access to multiple social media and messaging platforms was restricted across Turkey after the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) called supporters to rally in response to a police blockade of its Istanbul provincial headquarters.
Real-time network data from an internet observatory showed disruptions affecting X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and WhatsApp across several providers beginning late Sunday.
The online curbs coincided with rising tensions around the CHP’s Istanbul branch, where riot police erected barricades and enforced a ban on public gatherings across central districts.
Authorities said the measures were necessary to maintain order, while the opposition denounced them as an attempt to stifle mobilization.
On Monday, officers used pepper spray at the party’s offices to allow a court-appointed interim chairman to enter, prompting scuffles with CHP officials and supporters.
The intervention followed a court order suspending the party’s Istanbul leadership after alleged irregularities tied to an earlier congress.
Protesters gathered outside the building despite the ban, and police dispersed crowds with tear gas.
Digital rights monitors reported that throttling and partial blocking rendered social platforms difficult or impossible to use for many users.
The country’s access-providers union did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Similar measures have been observed during previous high-profile political flashpoints, including detentions of opposition figures.
The CHP framed the police operation and the connectivity restrictions as a broader bid to constrain political opposition, while government officials emphasized judicial independence and public safety.
The immediate effect was to blunt the party’s real-time organizing capacity online, even as images of the blockade and protests continued to circulate through workarounds and traditional media.
Real-time network data from an internet observatory showed disruptions affecting X, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and WhatsApp across several providers beginning late Sunday.
The online curbs coincided with rising tensions around the CHP’s Istanbul branch, where riot police erected barricades and enforced a ban on public gatherings across central districts.
Authorities said the measures were necessary to maintain order, while the opposition denounced them as an attempt to stifle mobilization.
On Monday, officers used pepper spray at the party’s offices to allow a court-appointed interim chairman to enter, prompting scuffles with CHP officials and supporters.
The intervention followed a court order suspending the party’s Istanbul leadership after alleged irregularities tied to an earlier congress.
Protesters gathered outside the building despite the ban, and police dispersed crowds with tear gas.
Digital rights monitors reported that throttling and partial blocking rendered social platforms difficult or impossible to use for many users.
The country’s access-providers union did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Similar measures have been observed during previous high-profile political flashpoints, including detentions of opposition figures.
The CHP framed the police operation and the connectivity restrictions as a broader bid to constrain political opposition, while government officials emphasized judicial independence and public safety.
The immediate effect was to blunt the party’s real-time organizing capacity online, even as images of the blockade and protests continued to circulate through workarounds and traditional media.
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