Turkey blocks access to Instagram, slams it for ‘censorship’ on posts of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh’s death

Turkey, on Friday, blocked access to social media platform Instagram. The country's Information and Communication Technologies Authority did not cite a reason for the move. With no specified duration for the band, the mobile app is also currently inaccessible.

On Wednesday, Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish communications official had accused Instagram for blocking condolence posts on the death of Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas's political chief, reported Reuters.

Altun accused Instagram for “actively preventing people from posting messages of condolences for the passing of Hamas leader Haniyeh without citing any policy violations.”

The Turkish official further noted that it was simply an act of censorship. "This is censorship, pure and simple," Altun, the communications director of the Turkish presidency, said on social media platform X. He further stated, that Instagram had not cited any policy violations for its action.

Meanwhile, there was no immediate comment from Instagram parent Meta, on either the ban or Altun's criticism, reported Reuters.

Turkey's Information Technologies and Communication Authority (BTK) had publised this decision on its website on August 2.

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