Turkey Blocks Access to Dozens of Gay Rights and Feminist Accounts on X

Turkish authorities have blocked access within the country to dozens of X (formerly Twitter) accounts associated with homosexual rights advocacy groups and feminist organizations, according to the Turkish LGBTI+ association Kaos GL. The blocks were reportedly implemented following legal requests.

Kaos GL, one of Turkey's oldest LGBTI+ rights organizations founded in 1994, reported that several civic groups received notifications from X informing them of account closures. When attempting to access these accounts from within Turkey, users are met with a message stating, "This account has been retained in Turkey as a result of a legal demand." Access remains possible from other countries or via VPN services.

The move comes amid ongoing concerns about restrictions on LGBTQ+ rights in Turkey. While homosexuality has been legal in the country for over a century and a half, rumors of potential legal initiatives to restrict or ban it have circulated since last year, though no formal proposal has been presented to Parliament. Kaos GL noted that cultural events related to homosexuality in June have been impeded, and the traditional Gay Pride march has been banned since 2015.

The scope of the recent blocks extends beyond LGBTI+ accounts, affecting at least half a dozen feminist accounts, some with over a hundred thousand followers. Notable among the blocked accounts are the Platform for Struggle Against Femicides and the Mor Çatı foundation, a pioneering organization providing shelter for women victims of violence and a member of the European WAVE network. The account of IDH, Turkey's most prominent human rights association founded in 1986, was also briefly blocked before being restored.